Crystal and Pomegranate
by ViolaHarmony
Summary: Glimpses into the lives of Persephone, Hades, and their family and associates. A series of short works that can stand alone but still go together. Rated PG. Title changed from "The House of Hades (One-Shot Collection)" to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.
1. Kore

_Author's Note: In order to fill the void that will remain empty until _The Mark of Athena _comes out, I thought I'd try my hand at writing a series of short works about the denizens of the Underworld. Fun, huh? I actually rather like Hades and I think he gets kind of a bad rap. I like Persephone, too, even though she has a nasty streak. (But then again, don't all the Greek gods?) I adore Nico and he will hopefully appear in later chapters. I hope you guys like this. I still have tons to learn about writing and I hope this project can help me improve. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my story! :) _

_Disclaimer: I unfortunately own nothing created by Rick Riordan. _

"My Lady Persephone, that's incredible!"

The girl smiled. "Heather, you don't need to speak to me so formally. Just "Persephone" is fine. Or better yet, call me Kore, everyone else does."

"Very well, Lady Kore, but it seems improper for a humble dryad."

Kore smiled and shook her head. She was not overly fond of her given name. "Persephone" sounded so regal and serious. She felt more like Kore, a simple maiden who picked flowers and played with the nymphs. It was rare to see her in the city of Olympus, but Zeus had insisted that Demeter bring her to today's council meeting, to be introduced before the twelve Olympians. Demeter had instructed her to wait by the temple until called for. She passed the time in the gardens in front of the temple, entertaining a local dryad by making flowers. Her latest project was a bright crocus, and Heather squealed in delight as Kore knitted her brows in concentration, willing the stem and blossom up out of the ground. Heather was enthralled, but Kore sighed in disappointment. "I was hoping for more orange in the petals, and the leaves are shaped funny."

"Are you kidding?" said Heather, "It's the most beautiful flower I've ever seen!"

"Well, thanks," answered Kore, "it's nice to be complimented. You should hear my mother. Kore sat up straight and imitated a high, bossy voice. "That's very nice, Kore, but you're too old for such frivolities now. Try to make something useful, like oats or barley."

Heather laughed. "Oh, don't worry about Lady Demeter. Your flowers are brilliant. How could she discourage such works of art? Oats and barley are boring." She glanced toward the temple, "Er, you won't tell her I said that, will you?"

"My lips are sealed," smiled Kore.

"You're a very kind goddess," said Heather, "Why is it I've never seen you before?"

"Oh, I live in Enna," replied Kore, "Mother never lets me go anywhere."

Just then, several stalks of wheat sprouted to Kore's right. They swayed in the breeze momentarily before vanishing, revealing a goddess in a gold dress and grasses woven into her hair. She seemed a little nervous and distracted, but she managed a smile. "Come along, Kore dear," said Demeter, "the council is ready to receive you."

Kore followed her mother through the marble halls decorated with sculptures and paintings of gods fighting titans. She noticed an image of her mother using wheat to strangle a massive, evil-looking giant. She'd only heard that story a couple million times. Demeter fussed as they walked. "Now stand up straight. Fix your dress. Oh, I do wish you would have worn your yellow dress like I suggested. Blue is just not your color. What have you done with your hair?"

"What's wrong with blue?" Kore protested, "It's a fine color. And Heather agreed that my hair looks good down!"

"I worked for hours on your hair," Demeter whined, "and who in Tartarus is Heather?"

"That nymph just outside-"

"Oh, never mind. It's too late to fix it now."

They reached the doors and stepped inside. Kore had kept her nerves in check before that moment, but under the gaze of twelve oversized Olympians, her confidence began to falter. There was her father, Zeus, as proud as ever. Hera sat next to him, with a look of disapproving disgust on her face. Kore's parentage was a poorly kept secret among the immortals. Everyone knew her father was Zeus, but no one dared talk about it for fear of unleashing Hera's wrath. Hera, thankfully, would have to stay content with hating Kore without acting on said hatred. Causing a fight with Demeter would likely cause the destruction of the council's already precarious existence. Hephaestus treated her with what was no doubt meant to be a friendly smile, but on his ugly face it came out as more of a grimace. Apollo flashed a winning grin, Hermes winked, Artemis and Athena nodded politely, and Hestia smiled encouragingly. But there was Olympian who caused her only discomfort. He was seated in between her father and Uncle Poseidon, in what appeared to be a guest chair rather than a permanent throne. This god was dressed in silky black robes with what appeared to be tortured faces peering out at her. Even worse was the god's face. He looked at her so intently she shrank and took a step back, but she felt herself locking eyes with him against her will. His black eyes gleamed with a mad power. His dark, powerful aura frightened her, but she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. She blushed and looked away.

Zeus cleared his throat and spoke to her, using her proper name. "Persephone, daughter of Demeter, as you have officially come of age it is imperative that we, the rulers of Olympus, present you with a proper title and function. Your mother has informed me that you have skill in making plants grow. Would you care to demonstrate?

Persephone shakily curtsied. "Yes my lord," she said quietly. She waved her hand and a large red and black vase appeared before her. She magically filled the vase with soil and willed three flowers to grow. The crocus was better than the one she attempted outside, although she still wasn't pleased with the shapes of her leaves. The rose was passable, although she wished she had managed to conjure up more petals, and her orchid looked disproportionate. _Why did you have to try an orchid?_ She chastised herself silently, _you know you always have trouble with the orchids!_ However, her father merely nodded as he watched her work.

"Well done," he said, "not perfect, but perfection comes with practice."

"She practices every day," her mother chimed in, "Go on, Kore, show us a wheat stalk."

Kore sighed, but she managed to grow a small stalk of wheat.

"Are these the extent of your powers?" asked Zeus.

"No, my lord," Kore answered, "I can turn objects into plants, and I think I could manage turning people to plants as well, though I haven't tried it yet."

"Could you demonstrate?" asked Zeus, "Um, here, use Ares's sword."

"What? Hey…" exclaimed the war god as his sword disappeared and reappeared before Kore's feet. Kore pointed at the sword and it morphed into a daisy.

"Nice," chuckled Hermes.

"Make her change it back!" whined Ares.

"Go on Persephone," said Zeus. Kore changed the daisy back and Zeus sent the sword back to Ares's side.

"Anything else you have to share?" asked Zeus.

Kore demonstrated her skill at making closed flowers bloom and leaves sprout from empty tree branches. Demeter explained Kore's role as her helper, assisting in making new plants grow and flourish.

"Very well," said Zeus, "Are there any ideas for a title?"

"How about," Apollo paused for dramatic effect, "The goddess of looking good." He flashed a toothy grin in Kore's direction. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me?" said Aphrodite dangerously. "I believe that position is already taken."

"Um," said Hermes, "How about the goddess of flowers?"

"She can do more than just flowers, though," said Athena.

"How about 'The Goddess of Young Life?'" proposed the dark-robed Olympian. He had been so quiet throughout the meeting that everyone jumped at his voice.

"Young life?" Poseidon snorted, "You're one to talk about young life, brother. Most of the Olympians began to chuckle, while the dark-robed Olympian glowered.

Hestia came to his rescue. "Actually, I think that's a good idea, Hades."

Hades. Why hadn't Kore thought of it before? This dark-robed spooky god was her parents' brother. He ruled the Underworld and was only allowed on Olympus once a year.

After some additional debate and ideas the council held a vote and Kore's title was decided.

"Fellow council members," announced Zeus, "May I present Persephone, The Goddess of Flowers, Growth, and Young Life." The council members nodded and Kore's audience was over.

Kore waited for her mother outside while the council finished up. As the Olympians filed out she caught bits of a conversation between her mother and Aphrodite.

"You know Zeus is right, Demeter," the love goddess was saying. "She's not a child anymore. I know for a fact that both Hermes and Apollo are interested in her. She could have all the suitors she wants! I could even arrange a love triangle! Wouldn't that be romantic?"

"Aphrodite, please!" replied a very irritated Demeter. "She's my daughter and I'll decide when it's time for her to marry! You have no right- Oh, Kore!" Demeter noticed her daughter watching them. "Come along, it's time to go home." She pulled Kore away in a vice grip before Aphrodite could counter with lectures on the futility of stopping young love.

Kore and Demeter spent the afternoon in an uncomfortable silence. As evening drew near, Kore rallied her courage and spoke. "Mother, I won't have to marry right away, will I?" Kore did not always see eye to eye with her mother, and at times she resented Demeter's smothering and nagging, but she knew the goddess meant well. The idea of suddenly leaving the life she knew so well frightened her. She was used to living a quiet life with only her mother and nymphs for company and felt uncomfortable around her fellow gods and goddesses. She shuddered; especially the gods. On the few occasions that she visited Olympus she let her mother do the talking or else found a nymph or Hestia to chat with.

Kore saw relief on Demeter's face when she answered. "Of course you don't have to marry right away, my dear." Her look became hopeful, "You don't have to marry at all. You could be a virgin goddess like Hestia or Athena."

_I could stay here with Mother for the rest of eternity and be her permanent assistant._ Kore thought. "I'm not sure that's what I want either. I only know I'm not ready to marry anytime soon."

"Well of course you are not!" said Demeter cheerfully. "We'll see how you feel in a few centuries. If, by then, you have made up your mind to marry, I'm sure I could find a suitable husband for you. Although, I'd advise you to consider forgoing marriage. Gods, and even many of the goddesses, are fickle and impulsive by nature. It is difficult for them to save their heart for one person. I fear you would end up hurt if you married."

_You mean the way you and father hurt Hera?_ Kore thought, though she thought it would be unwise to point out her mother's hypocrisy. Besides, the older goddess did look sincere in her desire to help Kore. Kore managed a smile. "Very well, mother. We'll wait until I'm ready to make my decision." And with that, mother and daughter went outside to tend to their gardens.

_Author's Note: I know Persephone is the goddess of springtime, but technically springtime doesn't exist at this point in mythology, so I just went with "growth and young life". I hope that's okay… Reviews are much appreciated! _


	2. The Request

For once in his immortal life, Zeus was speechless. He glanced over at Poseidon, who looked just as shocked as he felt. If he hadn't known any better, he would have been sure their older brother was joking. "Let me get this straight. You, my brother Hades, wishes to marry?"

Hades narrowed his eyes. "What part of this is difficult to understand?"

Poseidon intervened, "I think what Zeus is trying to ask is 'Who are you and what have you done with Hades?'"

Hades raised his voice. "This isn't a laughing matter, Poseidon! Why are you even here? This is strictly between me and Zeus!" He turned back to his youngest brother. "You're the girl's father. It's only right that I ask you first."

"I don't know, Hades," said Zeus, "You're asking me to condemn my daughter to an eternal life in the Underworld."

"You condemned me to an immortal life in the Underworld and you don't seem to be losing any sleep over it."

"Ouch," said Poseidon.

"Are you still here?" snapped Hades. Don't you have some sea cucumber somewhere that needs inspecting?"

"What, and miss this juicy little conversation? My big brother is looking for a wife! This is the most interesting news I've heard since Pandora opened her jar."

"Shut up, Poseidon," said Zeus. The sea god shrugged and disappeared, leaving behind an ocean breeze.

"Zeus, this really is a reasonable request," continued Hades, "you have a wife, mistresses, and more. You carry off ladies one day and forget all about them the next. I merely want one woman as my wife and queen."

Zeus gaped at his brother. Hades was lonely? Since when did Hades care for the company of others? Even before the three brothers divided their territory, Hades had been the loner, the black sheep of his family. He kept his distance and his siblings preferred it that way. Only Hestia seemed to have formed a truly warm relationship with him. Hades' eyes bored into Zeus earnestly. Finally, the sky god sighed. "Very well. If it is Persephone you want, I suppose I can't stop you. But don't let Demeter know. She'll be much less willing than I am.

"Thank you, brother," replied Hades. And with that, the king of the Underworld melted away into shadows.

_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or subscribed to my story. You guys are awesome! _


	3. Narcissus

A warm breeze caressed Kore's face as she skipped through the fields. She hummed as she gathered up poppies, hyacinths, irises, anemones, and crocuses. "What do you think, Olive?" She asked cheerfully, holding up her bouquet.

"Beautiful, Kore," gasped the nymph, "but what do you mean by running off so fast? I can barely catch my breath! I turn around for one minute, and foom! You're gone. You shouldn't wander so far from your house.

Kore rolled her eyes. "I can still see my house, and you are not my mother, Olive." She turned around and continued picking flowers.

Olive stepped around Kore and gazed at the top of the goddess's head. "I know, but I promised Lady Demeter we would keep an eye on you while she's away. Shouldn't we go back and join up with Brook and Maple? Or perhaps you'd like to go home and work in your mother's garden?"

Kore sighed and stood up to face the dryad. "Olive, the best thing about mother being away is that I finally have a chance to relax! I gardened all morning. Now I have the rest of the day to myself. Do you realize how rare that is?"

Olive couldn't help but smile at the excitement in Kore's eyes. Lady Demeter meant well, but the goddess could very well be the patron of smothering as well as agriculture. The dryad ran her fingers through her long black hair. "Very well, Kore, but let's continue relaxing closer to my forest, shall we?"

Kore's eyes suddenly widened. "Are those narcissuses?" she asked, looking over Olive's shoulder.

Olive turned around squinted her brownish green eyes toward the area Kore was pointing to. "They look like narcissuses. Pretty, huh?"

"They're beautiful," gasped Kore. "Come on! Let's gather some. I want to see if I can teach myself to make some!"

"Not so fast," warned Olive as she gently grabbed Kore's arm. "They're far out there. You've never been so far away from home by yourself."

"Exactly," replied Kore. "Mother's paranoia has prevented me from enjoying some of nature's best flowers. Look, they're not that far away; just a few yards from the bottom of this hill. Since my introduction, flowers are officially under my sphere of influence. You wouldn't want to prevent the Goddess of Flowers, Growth, and Young Life from enjoying some of nature's finest flowers, would you?" Kore tried for an authoritative voice.

Olive gave an exasperated sigh. "No, but-"

"Then let's go!" cried Kore

"I can't!" countered Olive. "I can only go so far from my tree! I've already reached my limit!"

Kore looked at Olive. She did look worn out. Her eyes were dull and her body flickered now and then.

"Please," asked Olive, "I need to get closer to my tree. Why don't you ask your mother to take you down there when she comes back?"

"All right," said Kore gently, "let's go home."

_Author's Note: Meh. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I'm sorry these last two have been so short. The next chapter may not be up for a couple of weeks, but it will be longer. Thanks for reading! You guys are great!_


	4. Underworld Wedding

As her friends slept, Kore quietly rose and tiptoed away. Her afternoon had been enjoyable. When she and the nymphs had finished gathering flowers, they brought them into Kore's house and organized them into arrangements. They then played a few rounds of tag before enjoying a picnic. After the early supper, they basked in the warm sun. Maple and Olive closed their eyes in drowsiness while Brooke left to visit her sweetheart, a young satyr named Lysander. Kore saw her chance. She rose and left her sleeping friends, careful not to wake them.

As the distance widened between her companions and herself, Kore's tiptoeing changed to walking, then skipping, then full out running. She laughed at her new found freedom as she raced down the hill toward her coveted narcissuses. She gathered a few of the nicest specimens and then continued further down the meadow, wondering if she could find more. As she walked, she suddenly felt the ground rumbling. An earthquake? What was her Uncle Poseidon up to now? She barely had time to ponder this question before she heard an ear splitting crack behind her followed by the sound of horse hooves and chariot wheels. Kore screamed when a large, icy cold hand clasped her by the wrist and pulled her upwards. Before she could fully register what was happening, she was racing further and further away from her home in a chariot pulled by skeletal horses. Trembling, she slowly turned her head to face her captor. She cried out in fear. It was definitely not her Uncle Poseidon.

"Hades," she gasped.

He smiled creepily. "Hello, Persephone. Lovely evening, isn't it?"

"W-what are you doing? W-where are we g-going?" she stuttered.

He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Why, didn't you know? Today is your wedding day."

Kore couldn't believe her ears. "What?" she asked, but Hades only chuckled and urged the horses forward. He led them into a cave. The chariot rattled along on an underground road, spiraling ever downward. The cold air stung Kore's eyes. Torches of green Greek fire lined the road and cast ghostly shadows on the cavern walls. The temperature steadily dropped and the air turned moist as they entered a cavern coated in stalactites and stalagmites. Kore shivered. Crystal formations sparkled in a rainbow of colors, but Kore's fear and the speed of the chariot prevented any feelings of awe she may have felt. Hades draped his cloak over Kore's shoulders and wrapped his free arm around her. She only shivered more violently at this gesture. They raced through a tunnel, down a steep ravine, and crossed a river. The moist air turned warm and Kore could see miles of pearly shades drifting aimlessly across a black field. In the distance she heard growling, screaming, moaning and weeping. She screamed and wept, too, as the chariot raced through the dim light toward a massive black castle.

Hades pulled on the reins and the horses began to slow. They arrived at the castle and the horses halted. Hades stepped down from the chariot and offered Kore his cold hand. He helped her down as a skeletal groom walked towards them. The groom bowed to Hades and Kore and quietly took hold of the horses' reins, leading them toward a stable built of the same glossy obsidian as the rest of the palace.

Hades grinned. "Well, that was fun," he said, "I haven't enjoyed myself so much since I snuck into the titan camp."

Kore's voice shook, "Please," she pleaded, "explain to me what's going on."

Hades raised his brows, "Why, haven't you figured it out yet? I need a queen, and you're just the girl to brighten up my realm."

"Is this some kind of a joke?" asked Kore, hoping she sounded braver than she felt.

"I couldn't be any more serious," he replied, "A beautiful young queen is just what the Underworld needs."

"No!" she cried, "This is a mistake! Mother would never-"

Hades snorted, "Of course she wouldn't. That's why I saved myself the trouble of asking her."

Kore's eyes widened in shock, "You mean you just-"

"Oh, I'm not completely irresponsible," he continued, "I asked your father, as is proper, and he didn't seem to mind.

"M-my own father?" she sputtered.

"Persephone," he gently grabbed her by the shoulders, "I will make you my queen. The entire Underworld will be at your command. You can have whatever you want."

"I want to go home," wept Kore.

"But you are home," Hades said simply. He smiled kindly. "It will work out. I'll make you happy."

Kore looked into his pale face. His voice and words were gentle enough, but he also spoke firmly. He wanted her and he intended to have her. Refusal was not an option.

"Come," he said, "your servants will help you get ready. I've prepared a dressing room and a sitting room for you, though they are not yet what they should be. Your, uh, arrival was rather short notice, but I did what I could."

He led her into the castle through a side door and up a flight of stairs. They walked down a corridor and into a small, plain, room with a couch, chair, table, mirror, and a small ebony wardrobe. Skeletal maidens grinned eerily at her and beckoned her forward. She stayed frozen in place until Hades gave her a small push and closed the door behind her. She stayed rooted in her spot and trembled as her servants chattered at her impatiently. Finally, two of the skeletons came to her and grabbed her by her wrists. They led her over to a copper bathtub and undressed her. They bathed her in frigid water while the other two scurried over to the wardrobe and pulled out a black silk dress trimmed with silver ribbons and embroidered with silver flowers. When the bath was finished and Kore had dried off, the handmaidens pulled the black dress over her head. The dress was at least two inches too long, but the girls simply got to work adjusting. They chattered away as they worked and tried to address Kore more than once, but Kore mutely shook her head back at them. She couldn't understand their speech.

Once Kore was dressed, the servants brought the chair over by the table and mirror and sat Kore down. The table was littered with brushes, combs, hairpins, silver and black ribbons, and piles of glittering jewelry. The servants combed, braided, twisted, and coiled her thick black hair. They adorned her face with powder and paint. They bedecked her with jewelry of silver, diamonds, and rubies. They wove a simple silver circlet into her hair. Finally, they stepped back to admire their handiwork.

Kore gazed sorrowfully into the mirror. She barely recognized herself. She looked queenly, to be sure, but she also looked older and paler. She felt hot tears forming in her eyes. Her servants chattered insistently to her and shook their bony fingers. Kore thought she understood their body language if not their words_. Don't ruin your complexion with tears! Your eyes will be puffy and all our hard work will be for nothing, you ungrateful girl!_ One servant rushed to the wardrobe and returned with a soft black handkerchief. Kore accepted it and carefully wiped her eyes.

The young queen took a deep breath and shakily exhaled. "Come now, Persephone," she sternly addressed herself, "You are no longer a child. If this is to be your fate, tears will not change that."

The maidens were just draping a black veil over her head when a knock sounded at the door. Persephone's handmaidens turned their heads. One walked over to the door to answer. A male ghoul stood on the threshold when she opened the door. He chattered something to the handmaid, who then turned and beckoned to Persephone. Persephone rose and followed the ghoul out of the room. They walked down a stone hallway lit with green fire and into a throne room. Hades sat on a throne of fused human bones. To his right sat a simple obsidian chair. The god rose and strode over to Persephone. He took her hand and kissed it. He then led her out of the throne room, up a flight of stairs, and onto a balcony.

Persephone gasped at the crowd gathered before them. Legions of ghosts, ghouls, and skeletons gazed up expectantly at the couple. Two winged men fluttered slightly above the ground, one dark skinned and the other lighter skinned. The dark skinned man leaned over and folded his arms as the other man said something in his ear. Three elderly women sat close by. They lifted their faces upwards while their fingers continued to spin, weave, and cut thread. Persephone glanced up at the sound of flapping wings. Three hags with claws and leathery wings hovered above the balcony and grinned down at her. Hades addressed the crowd in a loud, clear voice. "May all of you here today bear witness that I, Hades, Lord of the Underworld, have chosen Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, to be my wife and queen." He turned to her. "Persephone, will you accept me as you lord and husband?"

Persephone's lower lip trembled. She gazed at the vast crowd assembled before them. She wanted to refuse Hades, but the god caught her eye and examined her intently. Refusing him now would cause him humiliation in front of his subjects. She felt power radiating from him and knew that this was one god she would not wish to cross. She turned to fully face him and their eyes locked. She could not refuse him. He would not allow it. She took a breath and spoke. "Yes, my lord, I accept you."

She thought she saw relief cross his face as he turned back to the crowd. "By the River Styx, I swear to take and honor Persephone as my wife, queen, and consort." He lifted her veil and planted a kiss on her forehead.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Hades held a small wedding supper, but Persephone felt too nervous and sorrowful to partake in it. Her supper remained untouched. Some of Hades' guests approached her and introduced themselves. She first met the Furies, then the Fates. Afterwards, she saw the two winged daemons approaching her. Dazed as she was, she still couldn't help but notice the dark skinned man's beauty. He smiled kindly and introduced himself as Thanatos, god of death and lieutenant to Hades. He then introduced the other winged figure as his nephew Morpheus. It struck her as odd how little the uncle and nephew resembled each other. They did both have regal features and black feathery wings, but Morpheus's fair hair, skin, and blue eyes stood in stark contrast to his uncle's. Morpheus grinned at her in greeting, but Persephone merely nodded and blankly looked away.

After the guests left, Persephone wandered the palace halls aimlessly. Hades left her alone, to her relief. As she made her way toward her chambers, her new husband materialized before her. She jumped with a start. "Persephone," he said, "My- er, that is, _our_ bedroom is just down the hall."

Persephone's face turned red as a poppy. _Oh, this just keeps getting better and better, _she thought.

"You've had a busy day," he continued, "So I'll understand if you choose to spend tonight in your own chambers."

_How generous of you, _she thought bitterly, but she managed to hold her tongue.

"Well," he said after a brief silence, "I suppose I'll wish you 'goodnight' then." He melted into shadows and Persephone was left alone. She sighed in relief and entered her dark chambers. Her skeletal handmaidens were nowhere in sight. She opened her wardrobe and found a simple white nightgown. She undid her elaborate hairstyle, combed her hair, and wove it into a simple braid. After slipping into her night clothes, she curled up on her couch, wishing that morning would never come.


	5. The Tour

Persephone awoke to the sound of knocking. She sleepily arose from her couch and stretched. The knocking sounded again, but more insistently. "Coming," she mumbled. She walked over, opened the door, and was greeted by her skeletal handmaidens.

"_Good morning, my queen," _they chattered in unison. How they could tell it was morning was beyond Persephone's comprehension. The world beyond her window was as dark and gloomy as ever. She then realized with a start that she had understood her servants' chatter. _Great, _she thought bitterly, _I'm becoming one of them. _The skeletal maidens had brought her a large breakfast of warm flatbread and steaming porridge topped with pomegranate jelly, but Persephone couldn't bring herself to eat despite the delicious smell. She still felt too miserable.

After her servants helped dress and groom her for the day, a male servant informed her that her husband wished to see her in the throne room. She took a deep breath and followed the skeleton into the hall. Hades stood up when she entered the room. He nodded politely to her and gestured for her to sit in the simple chair on his right hand side. Persephone obeyed and waited for him to speak.

"Good morning, my queen," he said, "I have something for you." He reached into his robes and pulled out a small silver box decorated with elegant etchings of flowers and vines. He offered it to Persephone, who accepted it and opened the lid. An elaborate necklace of intricate silverwork and ruby flowers lay inside.

"It's beautiful," she conceded without a smile. The necklace only compounded her sorrow. The cold stone flowers painfully reminded her of the lovely, delicate, living flowers in the bright world above.

Hades cleared his throat awkwardly. "May I put it on you?" he asked. Persephone nodded mutely and her husband clasped the necklace around her neck. He moved back and examined her. "Beautiful," he smiled, "You truly are lovely, Persephone." She looked away.

A long, uncomfortable silence followed. Hades fidgeted with his robes and Persephone stared at a patch of tarnish on the bronze floor. "Ah, yes," Hades finally spoke, "The servants do need to polish the floor more diligently. It will be good to have a woman's touch around here." Persephone said nothing to reply to Hades' small talk. "Eh," he continued, "Perhaps I should show you around." He turned to a skeletal guard. "Tell the groom to ready my chariot."

Hades took Persephone on a ride through his domain. They passed through the Asphodel Fields, and Hades pointed out the entrance to Tartarus. Persephone shuddered at the thick darkness and the feeling of evil as they rode past the entrance to the pit. They passed by Elysium, the only joyous section of the Underworld and Persephone gasped at its sparkling beauty. She smelled bread baking and other aromas both sweet and fruity. Hades must have smelled the food, too, because he inquired about her breakfast. Persephone noticed an odd eagerness in his eyes when he mentioned food, but she merely shook her head and said, "I haven't been hungry, Lord Hades."

He narrowed his eyes in concern. "You don't want to starve yourself, you know."

Persephone fought the urge to roll her eyes. _We're gods; we can't starve ourselves to death, _she thought, but she remembered her mother telling her about gods and goddesses who had faded. Would she grow thin and began to fade away? Perhaps that would be preferable to her current situation.

Hades continued to examine her. "Are you alright, Persephone?" he prompted gently.

_Oh, I'm peachy, _she thought sarcastically, _yesterday I was abducted by the oily god of the Underworld and forced to marry him. How's your day going? _Out loud, she only said, "I'm fine, Lord Hades."

They came to a stop next to a black river cluttered with floating debris. Persephone sadly noted a child's doll and a beautiful wedding dress among the objects. A thin man in a gray robe approached the shore in a small rowboat. Aboard the boat sat about a half dozen shades wrapped in similar robes of gray fabric. At first, Persephone thought the thin man looked handsome and dark skinned, but when she really focused on him, all she saw was a skeletal figure with black eye sockets. "Welcome to the River Styx," Hades said, "This is Charon, my ferryman."

Charon grinned at her and bowed low. "It is an honor, my queen," He said. He addressed the shades. "Everyone, this is our new queen, Persephone. She was just married to our lord last night. Go on; show her the honor she deserves." The shades blinked up miserably at her. She couldn't blame them. She didn't want to be there either. "Come on, now," Charon scolded the shades angrily. The ghosts bowed their heads. "_We are honored, my queen," _they chattered. "That's better," Charon muttered. As the shades began to disembark toward what must have been the judgment pavilion, Charon turned to Hades and bowed.

"My lord," he began nervously, "About my request-"

"Later, Charon," Hades answered crossly.

"With all due respect, my lord, you've been saying that for the past one hundred years."

Hades raised his voice angrily. "Later, Charon!"

"L-later," stuttered Charon as he turned the boat around, "Later sounds good."

The chariot rattled along toward a giant, semi-transparent Rottweiler with three heads. Persephone screamed as the heads came toward her, but the dog only sniffed her curiously. "Don't worry," Hades said reassuringly, "He won't hurt you. You're supposed to be here."

_I beg to differ, _Persephone thought as a giant wet tongue smacked her in the face. Hades smirked, but quickly regained composure when he saw Persephone's irritated expression. "Why haven't I seen him before?" she asked, "I heard howling last night, but how could I not see a giant three headed dog?"

"His image becomes clearer the closer a person is to death, or the more tied one is to the Underworld," Hades said simply.

_Tied to the Underworld? _thought Persephone, _Wonderful. Just Wonderful. _

After a quick tour through the Fields of Punishment, where Persephone saw more than she ever wanted to see in an immortal lifetime, Hades drove the chariot home. "So, you see," Hades was saying, "You and I have an important responsibility to keep things moving down here in an orderly fashion." He helped her down from the chariot just as he had the night before.

"Can I go back to my rooms, now?" Persephone interrupted flatly.

"Eh, yes. Yes, of course," Hades answered. For a moment, he seemed to be struggling within himself. He opened his mouth to speak, "Persephone, I…" She stared back at him, her face devoid of expression. "Never mind," he finished, "You may go now."

_A/N: Please review and tell me what you think!_


	6. Advice From Hecate

_A/N: Thanks for reading, and an extra special thank you to anyone who added this story to their list of favorites, subscribed, and/or reviewed my story. I love you guys! Please review! It motivates me to keep writing. _

Persephone sat in her sitting room, spinning wool into thread. She was tired of the black robes and dresses Hades provided for her. If she had to stay down here, at least she could make herself a decent wardrobe. It wasn't like there was anything better to do anyway. Suddenly, she heard footsteps in the hall followed by a knock on the door. She sighed. What did he want this time? She rose to answer the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see not her husband, but a woman in robes of deep red. The woman looked slightly over middle age, but she was still quite beautiful, with thick silver hair and large black eyes. The woman smiled politely. "It is an honor to meet you, Queen Persephone," she said gently. "I apologize for arriving unannounced. Do you mind if I come in?"

Persephone eyed the woman warily. It was nice to meet someone in the Underworld who wasn't either dead or her husband, but she still felt apprehensive at this sudden appearance of a stranger. The woman seemed kind, but she had an odd air of mystery about her that made Persephone strangely nervous. "May I ask who is calling?" she inquired.

"Oh, forgive me," answered the woman. "I am Hecate, goddess of magic, crossroads, and witchcraft."

"Oh," said Persephone, "Um, how nice. Come on in. I'm sorry I don't have nicer accommodations."

"Oh, don't worry, dear. This is fine."

Hecate sat on the couch while Persephone took the chair. They eyed each other in silence for a moment before Hecate spoke.

"Your mother is frantic with worry, you know."

"My mother?" gasped Persephone, "So, you've seen her."

"Oh yes," replied Hecate matter-of-factly. The day you, eh, left home, I happened to be walking near Enna. I heard you scream, but I didn't actually see what happened. I stopped to spend the night in a nearby cave, when I heard your mother crying out your name. I put two and two together, greeted your mother, and offered to help her find you. We searched for days without any luck. Eventually, we met up with Helios, who told us he had seen Lord Hades carry you away."

"Poor mother," groaned Persephone. "How did she take the news?"

"Pretty badly, actually," Hecate replied calmly. "Helios and I tried to comfort her, but no matter what we tried, she wouldn't stop wailing and crying. When she found out that Zeus knew of Hades' plans but had no intention of stopping him, she became so angry, she left Mount Olympus and vowed never to return until she saw you again. I've never seen a goddess get so upset, except maybe Hera."

"Well, can you blame her?" said Persephone, trying to keep her voice steady. "He kidnapped me without any regard for my feelings! As if I was a flower, an object for anyone to claim. And to think my father knew what would happen and didn't even warn us!" She turned away as angry tears formed in her eyes.

Hecate tilted her head and examined the young queen. "I will tell you what Helios told your mother. Lord Hades is not a bad choice for a husband."

"I didn't have a choice!" Persephone protested.

Hecate held up her hands. "Let me finish. Hades is mighty among the gods. For Olympus's sake, he's Zeus's own brother. He controls a third of this world, and he made you a queen."

"I never wanted to be a queen," Persephone replied bitterly. "I didn't ask for this. He forced me away from my home and everyone I cared for."

Hecate nodded sympathetically. "He shouldn't have forced you like that, but try not to judge him too harshly. He is one of the three mightiest among the gods. He's used to getting his way. He knew Demeter would never allow him to court you. What chance did he have when she refused to even consider four other Olympians?" Persephone looked up in surprise. "Oh, yes," continued Hecate, "Hermes, Hephaestus, Ares, and Apollo all asked Demeter for permission to court you, but she wouldn't budge."

"That's no excuse for carrying me away," protested Persephone. "I can't believe I'm stuck with him of all people."

To Persephone's chagrin, the older goddess actually chuckled. "Hades isn't so bad," she said, "He's always treated me decently."

"Then why don't you marry him?" Persephone asked coldly.

"Ha! There's real bitterness in you, child. You'll fit in around here just fine." Hecate smiled reassuringly.

"I don't want to fit in around here," Persephone moaned.

Hecate shrugged. "It would be better than moping in here by yourself all day. Listen, my child. You could have friends here. No sense in making your situation more miserable than it is." Hecate stood up. "I'll leave you to think about what I said. I spend a fair amount of my time in the Underworld. I told your mother I'd check up on you whenever I'm here. If you should ever change your mind about seeking company, I have a small home here in the Underworld. It's a cave on the far side of the Asphodel fields, down a little pathway about a mile west and a mile south from here. The entrance is marked by a torch on each side, so you can't miss it. Stop by if you ever want tea and sympathy or just another woman to talk to." Hecate walked to the door and opened it. Before she stepped out, she turned to address Persephone one more time. "Perhaps you should give Hades a chance, dear. He's crazy about you. I doubt there's a goddess in the cosmos more loved than you." And with that, Hecate walked out the door, leaving a very bewildered Persephone behind her.

* * *

><p>Ghosts parted to make way as Persephone rode through the Fields of Asphodel. Hades had loaned her the chariot and ordered a servant to escort her safely to Hecate's cave. Persephone heard barking in the distance as the chariot approached two pinpricks of yellow orange light. When they arrived at the cave, the driver brought the horses to a halt and helped Persephone down. Out of the shadows bounded five large black dogs. She gasped and stepped back, but the dogs only jumped on her playfully and licked her hands. She timidly patted them on their heads. She looked up at the soft sound of creaking hinges and a long rectangle of warm light washed over her. Hecate stood in the doorway. Her eyes widened and her face split into a large grin. "Persephone!" she called out cheerily. "What a pleasant surprise! When I heard the dogs barking, I thought perhaps Cerberus had got loose again. Come in, Come in!"<p>

Persephone smiled nervously and entered the cave. The cave's torch lit exterior gave the dwelling a foreboding air, but inside it was quite homey. The floor was covered in colorful rugs. Next to the fireplace lay a sleeping brown dog surrounded by her puppies. A large loom stood in the corner and potions and other concoctions bubbled merrily over the fireplace. A red and gold silk curtain hung over what must have been the entrance to another room. At a table in front of the fireplace sat a winged daemon with fair hair and blue eyes. He greeted her with a bow and a friendly smile. On a large couch by the loom lay another daemon, only this one was fast asleep. "I didn't know you had company," Persephone said quickly, "Maybe I should call another day."

"No, please stay," said Hecate, "The more, the merrier. The one on the couch is Hypnos, god of sleep, and this is his son Morpheus, the god of dreams."

"Yes, I've met Morpheus," Persephone answered. She glanced back at Hypnos. The older god resembled his son, but he had black hair and a slightly darker complexion. His figure was thin and spindly.

Morpheus pulled up another chair and motioned for Persephone to sit down. "It's good to see you, Queen Persephone," he said.

"Is Thanatos coming?" Hecate asked Morpheus.

The god of dreams shrugged. "I told him he was invited, but he said he has a lot of work to do."

Hecate frowned. "That poor god works too hard."

Just then, Hypnos began to stir. He yawned and opened his eyes. They were a warm chocolate brown and Persephone suddenly felt sleepy looking at them. Hypnos sat up and grinned. His rumpled hair and feathers stuck out at odd angles. "Hecate, Morph," he said, "I just had the craziest dream."

Morpheus looked interested. "A dream, or a vision?" he asked.

Hypnos shook his head. "No, no; it was definitely a dream this time."

"What about?" asked Hecate

Hypnos's grin widened. "In my dream, Lord Hades got married!" He looked from Morpheus to Hecate and his grin faded. "What?" he asked. "Why aren't you laughing?"

Hecate rolled her eyes. "Lord Hades _did_ get married, Hypnos. It wasn't just a dream."

Hypnos's eyes widened. "You're kidding. He actually got married?"

"Yes!" Hecate waved her hand impatiently, "to Persephone. She's sitting right here."

"Oh…" Hypnos's face flushed in embarrassment. He awkwardly bowed his head in Persephone's direction. "I'm, uh, honored to meet you, my queen." He turned to Hecate and scratched the back of his head. "How long have I been out?"

She sighed. "Two weeks. You fell asleep on the couch the last time you visited; the same night I left. I came back this morning and you were still here."

"Two weeks?" Hypnos asked in shock. His blush deepened. "Huh. When I saw you two here I assumed it had only been two hours." He frowned. "Why wasn't I invited to the wedding?"

"You were, Father," Morpheus said simply, as if he were used to this sort of thing happening. "You slept through it."

Hypnos's expression became irritated. "Why didn't you wake me up, Morph?"

"I tried."

"Oh."

Morpheus addressed Hecate. "Do you still want to play checkers?"

"Well, now that Queen Persephone is here, let's find a game for more than two players."

"Oh, I don't mind," Persephone assured them, "I can watch while you play."

"No, no, no," replied Hecate, "there are other games we can play; How about a dice game?"

"Or skittles," said Morpheus hopefully, "we played at dice last time."

"I like skittles," said Persephone, "I used to play it with my nymph friends all the time."

Hecate smiled. "Then skittles it is."

As they finished setting up the game, a knock sounded at the door. When Hecate opened it a beautiful winged man with a dark complexion entered the cave. Morpheus grinned. "Uncle Thanatos! Glad you could make it!"

Thanatos nodded at his nephew. "I'm glad I could come, but I can't stay for long. Some of us have work to do."

Morpheus raised his eyebrows. "You can be in multiple places at once. Can't you spare at least some of your essence for our little party?"

"You work too hard, Than," yawned Hypnos.

"Maybe for thirty minutes or so," Thanatos sighed, "Then I really need to get back." He turned to Persephone and smiled amiably. "Well, look who's out of her castle. It's wonderful to see you, my queen."

Persephone looked at everyone nervously. "Please. You can all just call me Persephone."

"Now, now, that wouldn't do," Thanatos said kindly, "Lord Hades would never forgive us if he knew we weren't showing his wife the proper respect. I see you've met my twin brother, Hypnos."

"We're un-identical," Hypnos said pointlessly. "You sure you can't stay longer, Than?"

"Please don't call me 'Than'," Thanatos said irritably, "and yes, I'm sure. Do you realize how many mortals die each day? Even without all the diseases, dangers of childbirth, battles, and accidents, humans don't last forever. Someone has to reap all those souls!" He turned to Persephone and pointed his thumb toward his brother. "'God of sleep," he said, shaking his head, "easiest job in the cosmos."

"Hey!" said Hypnos defensively, "My job is extremely important! Mortals sleep every night of their lives!" He leaned toward Thanatos. "How many times do they die, Than, huh?"

Thanatos rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go."

"That's right!" Hypnos ranted, "Only once; and mortals aside, even the gods sleep! Death doesn't affect them in any way, shape, or form! Am I right, Queen Persephone?"

"Well, I-"

"There, you see? She agrees with me!"

"You didn't even give her a chance to answer!"

Morpheus chuckled. "I love it when these two get together!"

"Furthermore," Thanatos was saying, "My job is crucial! If nobody enforced the laws of death, earth would be overrun, and chaos would reign. Besides, I provide Lord Hades with subjects."

"Great subjects," Hypnos said sarcastically, "everyone wants to hang out with moaning, depressed shades."

"Enough, you two!" scolded Hecate. "Are we going to start this game, or aren't we?"

The brothers glared at each other for a few seconds, but the arguing stopped. Persephone won the first round of skittles. "So," she asked Hecate, "Do you four often visit each other?"

"It's not always just us four," she answered, "Charon joins us sometimes. Even the Fates will come now and then, though they make rather depressing company. But yes, we try to get together at least a few times whenever I'm here. Here in the Underworld, we're mostly solitary types, but even we need company now and then."

Morpheus nodded. "We Underworld deities need to stick together. We play games, swap news, and complain about Olympus," he said cheerily.

Thanatos smirked. "Morpheus loves the complaining part especially."

"Well it's true!" Morpheus cried, "We get zero respect from Mount Olympus. We're nobody to them! Just because we live in the Underworld they look at us as though we were inconsequential worms. What's so bad about the Underworld?"

Hypnos nodded and yawned, "I like our home here. Nice and quiet."

Persephone raised an eyebrow. "Quiet?"

"Ah, we live in the Land of Dreams," explained Morpheus. It's located on the outskirts of the Underworld, on the banks of the river Lethe. Far away from the Fields of Punishment."

"Nice and quiet," murmured Hypnos.

"But outskirts or no, we still live in the Underworld, and I'm not ashamed of it," asserted Morpheus.

"Come on Morpheus," said Thanatos, "We're here to enjoy ourselves, not so Queen Persephone can listen to you complain."

"I think complaining is very enjoyable," stated Morpheus.

"Thanatos is right, Morpheus," said Hecate, "Hypnos, it's your turn. Um, Hypnos?"

Hypnos snored in his chair. Morpheus dropped his head on the table, knocking down several pins. "Really, father?" he muttered, "You just had a two week nap."

Thanatos grinned. "I'll fix this." He wet his finger in his mouth and wiggled it deep into Hypnos's ear. Hypnos sat bolt upright, his eyes wide. He quickly regained composure and glared at his twin.

"What," he said through gritted teeth, "in the name of Mother Nyx was that for, Thanatos?"

Thanatos smiled amiably and gestured toward the game. "It's your turn."

Hypnos shuddered, "by Zeus, your fingers are cold."

"I'm the god of death," Thanatos said flatly. "Just shoot your marble, already."

* * *

><p>Twelve rounds of skittles and about ten wet willies later, a very peeved Hypnos declared it his bedtime. He was escorted home by his chuckling son and brother. Persephone stayed behind and chatted with Hecate about her life at home with Demeter and the nymphs. Hecate was a sympathetic and excellent listener. In turn, the older goddess spoke of her life, children, and magical experiments. She introduced Persephone to her dogs and the younger goddess helped name the new puppies. When Persephone arrived home, her husband was waiting for her. "How was your evening?" he inquired, "Did you enjoy yourself?"<p>

Persephone thought about Hecate, skittles, the three daemons, the complaining, the bickering, and the soft puppies. She managed to give her husband a small smile. "Yes," she replied, "I think I did."

_A/N: I hope the purists out there can forgive me. I think I remember reading somewhere that gods don't dream, but the whole Hypnos having a dream/vision about Hades' marriage has been in my head for a long time, and I couldn't resist writing it. Besides, as the god of sleep, I would think he would have dreams once in a while. Anyway, hopefully it was entertaining if not completely accurate. Eh, it was entertaining, right? *runs away as tomatoes are chucked at her*_


	7. Pomegranate

Hermes had received some crazy assignments in the course of his career, but he was pretty sure this took the cake. _Hermes, will you please fly down to the Underworld and tell your psychotic uncle to send his wife back. I'm sure he won't throw you into Tartarus if you ask him nicely. _Yeah, right. As if this assignment wasn't bad enough, it involved a goddess he loved but could never have. He sighed as he remembered the first time he saw Persephone, or Kore, as she was more often called. She had been a small child then, hiding behind her mother and holding tightly to Demeter's robes. Her eyes had been red from crying over a lost doll. He, a mere adolescent at the time, approached her and bent down on one knee, smiling gently as he presented to her the lost toy he had found in the garden by Zeus's temple. Her eyes widened and she squealed in delight at this reunion with her treasured wooden companion.

Over the years she had grown from a pretty child to a graceful and beautiful young woman, but the more lovely she became, the more determined Demeter became to hide her from the gods. Hermes knew he hadn't been the only one seeking Persephone's favor. He remembered every necklace, every box of ambrosia chocolates, and every gown sent by Apollo, Ares, and Hephaestus. At first, being messenger to the gods had worked very much in his favor. Whenever he sent a package to Demeter, he had a fairly good chance of stealing a glance at Persephone. He would deliver the gifts and watch as Demeter hastily threw them away before her unsuspecting daughter found out just how much the senders adored her. Of course, it wasn't long before Demeter moved her daughter to a different home, to keep her out of sight from her love struck kinsmen. All packages to Persephone had to be delivered to Demeter first. Persephone's address had not been disclosed to him. Of course, he would have found it eventually, but Demeter decided to follow an even greater precaution and vowed to only accept messages and packages from Iris. Hermes could no longer use his job as an excuse to see Persephone.

Hermes's thoughts drifted back to Iris. She was the only friend who truly understood the frustrations of being a messenger. They often spent their precious free time venting and laughing about their workday experiences. He smiled slightly. Iris was still single. He shook the thought out of his head. She must be too busy with her career to think about settling down. Besides, he had never really seen her in a romantic light. She was a pal, but nothing more.

Hermes groaned inwardly as he neared the entrance to the Underworld. _Been nice knowing you, _Apollo had said before Hermes had left, _can I have your lyre and your extra pair of winged sandals? _Hermes rolled his eyes at the memory, took a deep breath, and entered the chasm that would lead him to the Underworld.

Hermes flew downward for what felt like at least an hour before he heard the sound of running water. As he flew over the River Styx, Charon caught his eye and nodded politely. Besides his obvious role as messenger, Hermes was sometimes called upon to guide spirits down to Underworld, so he knew the staff better than most Olympians did. He waved and managed a smile as flew towards Hades' palace. He made sure to give Cerberus a pat on each head before heading for his final destination. When he reached the gates, he relayed his business to the grim skeleton soldier on duty and was shown into the throne room.

There was Persephone, looking lovely but sad in a simple black dress. She sat on a simple obsidian throne next to Hades' more familiar throne of fused bones. Hades raised his eyebrows in surprise. Then his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Hermes," he said, "what brings you here?"

Hermes bowed low. "My lord, Zeus has requested that you allow Persephone to return home to her mother. In her distress, Demeter has neglected her duties and cursed the earth with barrenness. The mortals and their animals are suffering, and they can no longer provide sufficient sacrifices. If things continue as they are, the mortals will all die." Hermes felt like kicking himself for that last bit. Hades wouldn't care if the mortals died. They rarely sacrificed to him anyway, and the more that died, the larger his kingdom grew. When he looked up at Hades, it disturbed him not a little to see the lord of the dead smiling. It was a sly, knowing smile, like Hades knew some secret he would not share.

"Yes, I've been wondering what has caused our recent population growth," Hades said. "Of course, it wouldn't do for the mortals to die out completely." He turned to Persephone, whose dull eyes ignited with hope. "Persephone, my queen, because I love you I will not prevent you from leaving if that is what you desire."

Persephone nodded nervously. "My lord, it would please me to see my mother again."

Hades nodded back, his expression unreadable. "Very well. If you would be so kind to wait a few minutes, Hermes, I will ready my chariot while Persephone gathers her things.

Hermes blinked. Was it just him, or was this too easy? But before he could say anything, Hades had dissolved into shadow, and Persephone had hurried to her chambers.

* * *

><p>For the first time since her capture, Persephone harbored kind thoughts of her father. He had come to her aid at last. No longer would she be forced to stay in this gloomy hole. She packed with much gusto as her handmaidens shuffled around her. They moaned sadly and kept their heads down as they worked. A realization hit Persephone like a ton of bricks. Her handmaids didn't want her to leave. She was surprised at a sudden feeling of regret. She would miss them too. Surely, her time here hadn't been all bad. She had friends down here. Hecate, Hypnos, Morpheus, and Thanatos had tried to make her feel like one of them. She was still angry at Hades. Perhaps she would always be. But besides her abduction, the king of the Underworld had never mistreated her.<p>

A knock on the door jolted her back to the present. When she answered it, she saw her husband in the doorway. "The chariot is ready," he said softly.

She nodded and kept her voice polite. "Thank you, my lord, for letting me leave."

He gave an answering nod. "Persephone, I…" he began, "I hope you shall think kindly of me while you are away. Do not be ashamed of me. You are the wife of one who is mighty among the gods." He waved his hand and a bowl of pomegranates appeared. "I know you haven't been eating. Please, would you like a pomegranate before you leave?"

Persephone hesitated. "I don't have much time, my lord," she murmured, "but I suppose I could have a few seeds before I leave." She popped six seeds into her mouth and savored the tangy sweetness. A few minutes later, she was riding in the chariot next to Hermes, driven by the same driver who had taken her to Hecate's house the night before. Hades had waved as the chariot drove from sight. Persephone sighed contentedly. She was thrilled at the chance to see the light of day again. She appreciated the kindness she had been shown in the Underworld, but she didn't belong there. Perhaps she could visit once in a while, but she didn't plan on ever calling Hades' realm her home. She smiled at Hermes and looked upward at the beam of light shining through the entrance to the upper world.


	8. Compromise

Hestia sat unnoticed at the hearth as the battle raged in front of her. She winced at the harsh words and angry voices her siblings threw at each other. She gazed sadly into the flames and wondered why her family could never seem to keep peace for long. She supposed she was the anomaly among the Olympians. She cherished harmony and warmth. She hated confrontation and always sought compromise. Her family members were all so high strung and bold. They each fought tooth and nail for their own way. Perhaps she envied them just a little. They were harsh and stiff necked, but they were also strong. She was meek and quiet and perhaps too much of a pushover at times, but she only wanted to keep good relationships with those she loved. She glanced back at the raging feud. Demeter quivered with rage and pointed a finger at Zeus. "This is all your fault," she cried, "You gave our daughter away to that good for nothing and you are _not _going to allow him to take her away again. Not when I just got her back!"

"What would you have me do, Demeter?" he yelled in frustration. "I can't disobey the Ancient Laws! The child should have known better than to eat Hades' food!"

"Idiot Hermes!" raged Demeter, "How could he have left her alone like that! Anyone could have seen that Hades had a trick up his sleeve!"

Hestia reflected sadly on the eldest of her younger brothers. He must have been lonely, there in the Underworld, but how could he have so callously carried poor Persephone away? Perhaps he thought it the only way to win the one he loved, but Hestia knew he would have a hard time winning her affection now. Kidnapping her was bad enough, but now he had tricked her into eating the food that would forcibly tie her to the Underworld forever. Hestia looked sadly over at Persephone, who sat in a wooden chair with her head in her hands. Just then, Hades himself entered the throne room. His expression was cool and collected but his aura radiated a determined power. His eyes flashed with intensity as he scanned the scene. "Good day, Zeus, Demeter. I'll be taking my wife home now."

Demeter let loose a string of language that made Hestia blush. Demeter regained control and addressed her elder brother. "Your '_wife,' _as you call her," she grumbled through gritted teeth, "is not going anywhere without me, and I have no intention of visiting the Underworld in the next few millennia."

Hades face flickered with amusement before hardening into a sneer. "Oh, but I'm afraid the Ancient Laws require her to return with me much sooner. She had the choice, and she chose the pomegranate."

"Yes, because you tricked me!" protested Persephone.

Hades' eyes softened when he regarded his wife, but his voice remained firm. "I'm sorry, Persephone, but what's done is done. You are now tied to the Underworld, and nothing will change that." Persephone moaned miserably.

"There must be a way," Demeter said desperately as she paced back and forth. "Zeus, think of something."

Zeus cleared his throat nervously. "Hades, be reasonable. The mortals are on the brink of disaster as it is."

Hades glared at his brother and spoke with a deadly calm. "You told me I could have Persephone. You will not take her away from me."

"And I swear by the Styx that nothing shall grow so long as Persephone is with you!" spat Demeter.

Hades shrugged. "Then, I suppose nothing shall grow."

"Wait." Hestia said. The four gods and goddesses looked at her with surprise. She felt timid at the stares, but she was determined not to let her nerves get the better of her. The peace of Olympus and the world were at stake. She took a deep breath and spoke. "Persephone ate six seeds, correct? Perhaps there is a compromise that could work." Hestia knew that in spite of what any of them felt, Persephone was tied to Hades forever; but perhaps there was a way to soften Demeter's loss. At least, there would be if her hard headed siblings could agree to yield a little in the other's favor.

"I will never compromise with that greasy haired blackheart!" Demeter yelled.

Hestia felt a sudden flash of irritation. "Then say goodbye to your daughter, Demeter, because like it or not, Hades currently holds the greater claim," Hestia said coolly. Demeter's mouth opened in shock at her sister's sudden boldness. She snapped it shut again. Hestia continued, "We cannot disobey the Ancient Laws. Persephone is forever tied to the Underworld and must always return there; however, she would not be breaking the Laws if she spent a portion of her time with her mother. Perhaps she could stay with Hades for half of the year, and with Demeter for the other half."

Demeter's eyes narrowed. "Two thirds. She shall stay with me for two thirds of the year."

"Half!" protested Hades.

"Two thirds!" cried Demeter.

"Half," said Zeus firmly, glaring at Demeter. He turned to his eldest sister. "That is a very reasonable and prudent solution, Hestia. Thank you," he said gratefully. He looked at his brother. "Hades, is this agreeable to you?"

"I suppose I can't hope for better treatment from the two of you," he said bitterly.

"Good. Persephone?"

She threw up her hands. "The way I see it, I don't have much choice in the matter," she said with just as much bitterness.

"Very well. Demeter?"

"All right, but I get her first!" Demeter said, grabbing hold possessively of Persephone's arm. "I only got her back yesterday!"

Hades spread out his arms and bowed. "By all means, lady," he said with mock respect. He glanced at Persephone and tried to catch her eye, but she refused to look at him.

As mother and daughter left the temple, Zeus looked once more at his brother. "Well, now that that's settled, I have important matters to attend to. He disappeared in a flash of lightning.

Hades regarded his older sister with a mixture of hurt, anger, and a twinge of admiration. "Hades," she said gently, "I'm sorry you can't have Persephone the whole year, but a compromise was the best way to solve this. Demeter should not be deprived of her daughter forever. You hurt her deeply when you kidnapped the child. If we are to keep the peace, Demeter must have consolation of some kind."

If anyone other than Hestia had said this to Hades, the temple would have gone up in flames, but he respected his elder sister too much to cause a scene. He nodded. "I understand, Hestia." He turned to leave, but Hestia called his name.

"Hades," she said sincerely, "It's good to see you. I've missed you." She gave him a smile both kind and sad. While her other siblings saw Hades as a grim, merciless god who's only redeeming traits were his sense of justice and his love of solitude, meek little Hestia never could feel intimidated by him. To her, he would always be her moody little brother, and even moody little brothers need family.

His lips turned up ever so slightly. "Take care of yourself, Hestia."

"You as well." She sighed. "I suppose I'd better call Mother Rhea and ask her to speak to Demeter. She still seems very upset. If anyone can comfort her now, it's Mother.

"Good idea. Farewell, Hestia."

"Goodbye, Brother."


	9. Queenly Duties

Persephone sighed and rested her head in her right hand. Her right elbow sat on the armrest of her elegant new throne, a black and gold chair in the form of a flower. Hades had presented her with the new throne and an intricate new crown. The new diadem was constructed of woven golden vines accented with delicate silver flowers. The gifts were "welcome home" presents custom made by Hephaestus. Hades had ordered them while Persephone was away for her mother's half of the year. As if gifts could make up for Hades' trickery. She gazed around the throne room, bored, and waited for something, anything to happen. Hades had left to address a problem at the judgment pavilion and left her in charge. "Don't worry, I have confidence in you. I'll be right back." He had said with a condescending smile. Well, if he had expected her to be flattered and grateful for his show of supposed generosity, he had another thing coming. If he were truly generous he wouldn't have tricked her with that pomegranate.

She lifted her head at the sound of the door opening. The guard bowed and announced that Charon wished to speak with her. She nodded and the skeletal ferryman was shown in. "Ah, Queen Persephone," he said with a big grin, "I see Lord Hades is not here. What a shame." His grin widened even further.

"I'm afraid my husband has been called away," she replied, "he said he would return shortly. Why don't you wait here for him?"

"No!" Charon said hastily before regaining his composure. "Eh, that is, my break ends in a few minutes, and I only wanted to see him about a very trivial matter. You _are _our queen, after all. I know you could clear this little matter up."

Persephone's brows furrowed with perplexity. "What is it you need, Charon?" she asked.

"Well, you see," he said as he pulled a piece of parchment from his robes, "I have here a form granting me a raise. It needs only a signature to finalize it."

Persephone shrugged. "I suppose I could handle that. Um, I'll need a pen."

"Right here," said Charon cheerily. He pulled out a quill and bottle of ink and presented them to the queen. "Always eager to assist you, my lady."

Persephone signed the form and watched Charon scurry away. Well, if signing a few forms constituted her job, this was going to be a very long, boring day.

* * *

><p>That evening, Persephone sat in the courtyard, willing a lily to emerge from the hard ground. She smiled at the perfect leaves and pure, delicate petals. The lily shined with whiteness for a moment before it closed, drooped, and shriveled, leaving only a dead, brown remnant on the black dirt. She eyed her lily with surprise and disbelief. "What on earth?" she mumbled. She took a deep breath and tried again. The second lily followed the same destiny as the first. Perhaps today simply wasn't a day for lilies. She tried an Iris, but the same thing happened. She'd never had an off day as bad as this. Perhaps a crocus would work? The crocus lasted only a split second before closing and dying. A narcissus? No, she vowed never to look at another narcissus as long as she lived, which would be a very long time indeed. A poppy? A hyacinth? A Buttercup? <em>A dandelion!<em> She thought desperately as a tiny yellow weed emerged from the ground. She admired it for two whole minutes before she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She turned her head and automatically shrank back in fear. There was her husband, glaring at her with rage.

"Persephone," he said in a dangerously quiet voice, "Did you order for Charon to receive a raise?"

"Well, yes, but I don't see-"

He threw up his hands in agitation. "Without consulting me first? How could you be so foolish?" he yelled.

Oddly enough, Persephone's fear, while still present, began to recede in favor of indignant anger.

"I didn't know it was unauthorized!" she cried defensively. "You told me you trusted my judgment! Charon said the raise was already granted, he just needed a signature."

"And you believed him?" Hades' voice rose further. "Persephone, the first thing you need to know as a ruler is that you can't let your subordinates walk all over you! You-" he stopped abruptly at the sound of sniffling. Persephone had turned her head to gaze at what looked like the remains of a dead dandelion. She drew her knees into her chest and rested her face against them as she sobbed.

A few moments later, Persephone heard he husband cough awkwardly behind her. "Persephone," he began gently, "I'm sorry if I was too harsh with you, it's just-"

"Nothing grows here!" Persephone said with a muffled wail. "I only wanted a garden to brighten this place up!"

Hades gave a soft chuckle. "Is that all you're upset about, my love? We _are _in the Underworld, after all. Not much grows here, but I'm sure Hecate could advise you on what plants can survive in our environment. I know that pomegranates do particularly well."

Something inside Persephone snapped. She didn't care what her husband did to her, she only wanted to hurt him. She stood up, faced Hades and threw him the hardest punch she could right in his stomach. "I hate you!" she screamed. "Go to Tartarus!" Hades staggered back in shock. Persephone wasn't sure what reaction she expected, but Hades did not look angry or resentful. He only looked hurt. Persephone's face crumpled once more with tears as she fled into the castle. Was it possible that she had actually hurt his feelings? _No, _she thought angrily, _he doesn't have feelings. _But she couldn't shake the slight twinge of guilt she felt at the memory of his hurt expression.

Persephone stayed in her chambers that night, too afraid and ashamed to face her husband. But if she had wanted to speak with him, she would have found him sitting in courtyard with his head in his hands, gazing at her row of dead flowers.

_A/N: Thanks for reading, and please review and tell me what you think. I promise a virtual cookie party for every ten reviews! Only one more to go, guys! _Someone_ wants to review, don't you? You don't even have to leave a favorable review, just a review! I hope these last few chapters haven't been too boring or ooc. Hopefully it will get more interesting from here on out. Thanks again!_


	10. The Family of Night

_A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! You guys are incredibly sweet! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please take a virtual cookie on your way out. _

Hades was angry about something. Persephone trembled at the sound of his furious voice. She realized that she wasn't the only thing trembling. The whole palace was shaking. When the tremors stopped, she took a steadying breath and continued down the obsidian hall. She stopped abruptly when she saw Hades step into the hallway from the throne room. His angry scowl softened at the sight of her. "Ah, Persephone," he greeted her. "Are you well? I have not seen you since our, ah, last discussion in the garden."

_Not much of a garden now_, Persephone thought sadly as she reflected on her dead flowers. She forced herself to look at her husband. "I am well, Lord Hades," she managed shakily.

"It's nearly time for dinner," he said hopefully. "Would you care to join me?"

"Ah, I was just on my way to Hecate's," she replied, "perhaps another time."

His face fell in disappointment. "Very well, my love," he said. "I hope you enjoy yourself."

Persephone turned to leave, but her curiosity got the better of her. "You caused that tremor, didn't you, Lord Hades?"

His face formed a scowl, but Persephone got the feeling that his anger was not directed at her. "Yes," he said shortly, "Eh, sorry about that."

"It's just rather strange," she said almost to herself, "I thought Poseidon was the god of earthquakes."

Hades glowered. "Ha!" he spat, "who do you think taught Poseidon geokinesis?" His voice turned to a mutter, "'god of earthquakes'; ungrateful little pipsqueak."

They stood in silence for a few moments. When Persephone was sure her husband had nothing more to say, she said, "Well, I'll be going now, my lord." He nodded, but after Persephone took a few steps he called her back. Persephone winced. Couldn't he just leave her be?

"You know Persephone," he said, "You are now an Underworld deity. I could teach you some simple geokinesis if you feel so inclined."

"I don't know if I can, my Lord."

He shrugged. "It's worth a try. It comes in very handy when you live down here." He smiled slightly. "You can go now, Persephone. I can see that you're already irritated at me for keeping you."

Persephone blushed slightly. She gave an awkward curtsy and walked away.

* * *

><p>Hecate's door was answered by Thanatos, who smiled when he saw his queen. "Ah, Queen Persephone," he said cordially, "Please come in."<p>

"Hello, Thanatos. Isn't Hecate here?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, don't worry; she just stepped into her kitchen for a moment. She'll be back."

Persephone glanced around the room to see who else was present. Charon sat at the table, looking bored and playing some kind of solitaire game. A couple of dogs slept in the corner as puppies played around and on top of them. She looked at the couch and viewed a rather shocking scene. Hypnos was sitting up and trembling slightly. His olive complexion had turned pale. His chocolate eyes were wide and frightened. Morpheus sat at his side, patting his father's arm gently.

"Hypnos!" exclaimed Persephone, "Are you all right? You're um, well, you're wide awake."

Hypnos managed a shaky smile. "Good evening, Queen Persephone. Yes, I'll be alright. Just had a little shock is all."

"What happened?" she prompted gently, "Can I help?"

"He'll be alright," assured Thanatos kindly, "He was doing Queen Hera a favor and it almost ended, well, badly."

"Not that Hera cares," Morpheus mumbled bitterly.

Thanatos sighed. "Morpheus, you're not helping."

Morpheus viewed his uncle angrily, but his faced softened when he glanced back at his father. "Don't worry, father," he said kindly, "You've nothing to worry about with Grandmother Nyx on your side."

"After all, you are her second favorite son," said Thanatos cheerfully.

Hypnos frowned. "Second favorite?"

Thanatos smiled. "It's just a joke, brother."

Hypnos chuckled slightly. "That's right. You're her second favorite, Than."

Thanatos flashed an irritated look. "She doesn't choose favorites!"

"That's right," mumbled Charon. "Remember, I too am a son of Nyx."

Persephone glanced back at Charon. "Charon's your brother?" she asked Thanatos.

Thanatos smiled. "We have many siblings. Not all of them are friendly, I'm afraid, but perhaps you've heard of our sister, Hemera. She's kind enough."

"Hemera?" sounded Hecate's voice. They turned and saw the older goddess push the red silk curtain aside and enter the room, holding a steaming cup. "Well, hello, Persephone!" she said happily. "I thought I heard your voice." She turned to Hypnos. "Here's you're tea," she addressed him kindly. "Made just the way you like it: with poppy, nectar, and honey, as well as a little concoction of mine to help your nerves."

Hypnos sighed with relief. "Ah, thank you Hecate." He took a sip and looked calmer almost instantly.

Hecate turned to Thanatos. "Is Hemera coming here?" she asked with a wary expression.

"No," Thanatos assured her, "we were just talking about our family."

An expression of relief washed over Hecate. "I see. Hermera's a good girl, but a bit too perky for my tastes.

Charon shuddered. "'Perky' is an understatement. And her husband? Our brother Aether? Hopelessly optimistic.

"That girl will talk your ear off, too," sighed Hypnos, "It's impossible to sleep with her incessant chatter."

"Aether and Hemera are your siblings?" Persephone asked, surprised. "I've never met them personally, but I know of them."

Hypnos chuckled. "Ironic, isn't it? You should have seen mother's face when she learned that Hemera, daughter of Night and Darkness, had accepted the post of the daytime goddess. She was so disgusted, I thought we'd never hear the end of it. Then Aether goes and decides to become the god of light and the upper sky. She was fit to be tied."

Thanatos smiled. "She got over it, though. At least, she's back on speaking terms with Hemera.

Hypnos laughed. "If you can call a brief greeting in the morning and a stiff greeting in the evening 'speaking terms.'" He smiled and sipped more tea. "Excellent, Hecate," he complimented with a yawn. "I'm beginning to feel like myself again already."

Hecate smiled. "Good, Hypnos. Oh, by the way, Persephone, did you hear about Aphrodite's upcoming wedding?"

Persephone sat up straight in her chair. "She's seriously getting married? To whom? Ares? I know he's interested in her."

Morpheus snorted. "Well, what god isn't interested in her? I suppose she can only marry one, though. Is it Ares? That would be my guess, too."

Hecate shook her head and smiled wryly. "Hephaestus."

"Hephaestus?" Persephone and Morpheus exclaimed. "Why on earth would she accept him?"

"I mean, don't get me wrong," added Persephone, "He's a nice god, but I didn't think just 'nice' would be enough for Aphrodite."

Hecate shrugged. "Perhaps she felt flattered by his plentiful gifts. His jewelry never ceases to amaze me. He also made her a gorgeous golden belt. You should see it, Persephone, the workmanship is divine. And stop rolling your eyes, Morpheus. If you saw her in this belt, you'd… Well, never mind."

"I'm baffled that she's marrying at all," Persephone said. "Can she be happy with just one man?"

Hecate shrugged. "Probably not. It doesn't really make a difference though, does it?"

On the couch, Hypnos gave another yawn.

"Perhaps you should go to bed early tonight," Thanatos advised his brother kindly.

Hypnos finished his tea and gave an even wider yawn. "Bed. Ah, that sounds heavenly." His eyes drooped.

Morpheus stood and helped his father up. "I'll make sure he doesn't fall asleep on the way home. Goodnight, everyone," he said as he led his father out the door.

Charon shook his head to himself. "Mama's boy," he muttered.

"Oh, I don't know," said Hecate, "if Zeus came after me with his master bolt, I might run for mother myself."

Persephone gasped. "Zeus went after Hypnos with his master bolt? Why?"

"Well," Hecate began, "Do you know of Zeus's demigod son Hercules?" Persephone nodded and Hecate continued. "Hera hates the boy and enjoys tormenting him, but Zeus won't allow it. So, Hera hired Hypnos to put her husband to sleep so she could torture Hercules. When Zeus woke up, he realized what had happened. He flew into a rage and chased after Hypnos with his master bolt."

"But Hypnos's mother saved him," Persephone guessed.

Hecate nodded. "Yes, and when Zeus saw her look of maternal fury, he backed down."

Persephone's eyes widened. "My," she said, "It's hard to imagine a deity capable of intimidating Zeus."

"Well, she is a daughter of Chaos," replied Hecate. "Thankfully, she mostly keeps to herself unless provoked, and no one is fool enough to provoke her."

"Well, I should get back to the Styx. Oh joy." Charon said flatly as he stood up. "You'd better get back to work soon, too, Thanatos. If you reap them, I'll ferry them." He bowed to Persephone. "Always a pleasure, my queen. I hope our last meeting didn't cause you any, ah, unpleasantness."

In the excitement over Hypnos, Persephone had forgotten about the Charon incident. She eyed the ferryman with distaste. "Goodbye, Charon," she said coolly. As Charon closed the door, a thought struck her. "Charon's a god?" she asked Thanatos.

Thanatos thought for a minute. "We're not really sure what he is. I suppose he's a god of sorts. He's responsible for the boundary between life and death. And, I'm afraid he's right. I need to go."

After he left, Persephone turned to Hecate. "When is the wedding?"

"In the spring, a few months from now," answered Hecate. "I'm sure you'll be invited along with Demeter. I heard it will be quite the social event."

"Hmm," said Persephone. "I'll look forward to it. Um, Hecate?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Hades will come?"

Hecate chuckled. "I doubt it. Oh, I'm sure he'll be invited. Even Aphrodite isn't stupid enough to insult him like that; however, he tends to avoid large parties."

"That's good," Persephone muttered with relief, "now I can really look forward to it."

Hecate regarded Persephone with a look of pity. "I've never been married, at least not to an immortal, but my mother always told me the first hundred years is the hardest. Give him a chance, my dear, even he deserves that. Would you like a cup of tea, dear?"

Persephone nodded and Hecate hurried into her kitchen, leaving the young queen to her thoughts.

_A/N: Hooray! Virtual cookie time! _(::) (::) (::) (::) (::)


	11. Minthe

Persephone breathed deeply and savored the fresh summer air. She smiled at the wildflowers and lush green trees. Suddenly she felt a twinge of sadness. It was nice to be in the woods, but it would be a lie to say that things were as they used to be. She was no longer Kore, and never would be again. Every time she came back to Enna or Olympus to live with her mother, it took at least three weeks for the color to return to her cheeks and the vibrancy to return to her eyes. But her aura would never fully recover. There was something cold and grim about her now. Her old friends had lost the old cheery familiarity they once treated her with. They called her 'my lady,' or 'Queen Persephone' and regarded her with seriousness, deference, and often even fear. She wanted to assure them that she was still the same person, they could call her Kore, and they need not stand on ceremony with her, but that wouldn't feel right either because the nymphs were correct. She was different, and she couldn't change back into Kore no matter how much she wanted to.

As she made her way through the forest, she heard voices accompanied by the sound of flowing water. She froze in her tracks, surprised when she recognized a deep masculine voice. She hurried toward the voices and peered behind a large tree, taking in the scene before her.

A beautiful naiad with raven hair and dark blue eyes sat on a fallen log by a river which flowed into a large cavern. Facing the naiad, his back to Persephone, stood a tall man in black robes. To his left was a glowing golden chariot. Sunlight danced off the water and brought out shining blue highlights in the naiad's long silky hair. Lush ferns and flowers danced gently in the breeze around the log and the riverbank. It would have been a very romantic scene, indeed, if the man had not been Persephone's husband. The Naiad was giggling and gazing at Hades with her large, sparkling orbs. Persephone's eyes narrowed. Since when did Hades have a sense of humor?

"I'm certain I've seen you before," stated Hades to the naiad.

"I'm certain you have, too, my lord," she answered. She gestured to the river. "This river here flows underground and into the Cocytus, my home. I often visit this wood when I wish to enjoy the sunlight and flowers."

"Ah, yes," Hades said kindly, "I remember you now. It is nice to see you again, but I should be going."

"Must you leave so soon, my lord?" cooed the naiad. "Do I not please you? We in the Underworld all know how you long for your wife."

Hades chuckled slightly. "That is why I must leave you. My queen would be displeased if I lingered here too long."

The naiad smiled slyly. "Oh, but would she truly? She treats you with cruel contempt. I am just as beautiful as she and a great deal kinder." She rose to her feet and drew close to Hades. He leaned over and their lips met.

Their lips unlocked and the naiad happened to glance over the King of the Dead's shoulder. Her eyes widened and her expression twisted in fear before she suddenly disappeared. A small green herb appeared where she once stood.

Hades whirled around to face an enraged Persephone. They stared at each other for a few minutes, his black eyes shocked and her brown eyes murderous. She turned and tried to run, but Hades caught her arm.

"Persephone," he pleaded, "please don't run off."

"Let go of me, you two timing lout!" She thrashed and pulled, but his icy grip only tightened.

"I will not let go of you until you agree to calm down and sit with me for a while," he answered calmly.

She glared at him with utter hatred but allowed him to lead her to the log. She sat down beside him, glowering at the new plant she created. They sat together in uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Hades cleared his throat. "Persephone," he said contritely, "I truly am sorry. I confess I don't know what came over me." He glanced around the forest. "Has Eros been lurking around here, I wonder?"

"You gods blame Eros for everything!" snarled Persephone.

"Have you met the boy? He's an absolute menace!"

"That's no excuse for- oh, never mind."

Hades gestured toward the plant. "Do you think you were a bit harsh on Minthe?" he asked.

"I was not!" She cried indignantly. "She was a nature spirit. When the plant dies, she will be reincarnated back into nature, only she will have hopefully learned a lesson!"

"What lesson?" inquired Hades.

"A lesson to not go around making eyes at another woman's husband! Especially a goddess's husband."

Hades smiled. It wasn't a cruel smile, or a sly smile. It was a simple, genuinely happy smile.

"What on earth are you smiling about?" snapped Persephone.

"You're jealous, Persephone," he grinned.

"J-jealous?" she sputtered, "of you? Don't be daft!"

"Then why are you so upset?"

"Because you're _my _husband!" she cried angrily. "You shouldn't be going around kissing another woman simply because she's pretty, or she flirted with you! And, if I were truly jealous, what cause does that give you to sit there smiling like an idiot?"

His expression became hopeful. "Because it means, my dear," he answered gently, "that you do care for me, if only just a little."

That floored her. She stared at him in shock. She took in his shaggy hair, his neatly trimmed beard, his handsome black eyes, and his smooth ivory complexion. She looked away. "R-ridiculous," she stuttered.

He tentatively put his arm around her. She did not shrug it off. "Persephone," he said gently, "I'm sorry, and I'm glad you came along. My behavior was inexcusable."

"What are doing here, anyway?" she muttered, still not looking at him.

"Even I need fresh air sometimes," he said, "and, I missed you…" he trailed off.

She turned and peered at him suspiciously. "You truly must have missed me if you arranged a rendezvous with that naiad hussy!" she countered sarcastically.

"That," he said, gesturing with his free hand, "was an accident. I had no intention of meeting anyone here. By the way, what did you turn her into?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea."

"Smells nice."

"More than she deserves," Persephone grumbled. "So," she continued bitterly, "Do these 'chance meetings' occur often while I'm away?"

"No," he said firmly. "I swear on the Styx that this is the first time something like this has happened." She continued her suspicious gaze, but his eyes were earnest. She finally softened her expression and turned away. Persephone would sooner be cast into Tartarus than admit it, but something Minthe had said was troubling her. _She treats you with cruel contempt_. Was she really so unkind to her husband? Would this have happened if she had been more wifely toward him?

They sat in silence, but it was more comfortable now. She allowed herself to relax against Hades. The forest truly was beautiful. At first, it felt bit strange sitting with her husband in such an idyllic atmosphere, but after a few minutes it began to feel almost normal. Why couldn't she enjoy the warm summer breeze and musical flowing of the river with her husband? Wasn't this something a normal husband and wife would do? It should be, but unfortunately she and Hades were not a normal married couple. He couldn't see her in the spring and summer months. Her mother would not allow it.

Suddenly, she sat bolt upright. "Mother!" she exclaimed. "I told her I would only be gone half an hour! She'll be frantic. And then, if she sees me with you…"

Hades scowled. "I'm not afraid of your mother."

"Yes, but if she sees us together, she'll consider it a violation of our agreement. She'll be furious."

Hades sighed sadly. "I suppose I've lingered here too long anyway. I look forward to autumn." He looked at her hopefully.

She managed a small smile. "It's only a few months, my lord." She turned to leave, but Hades pulled her back. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What're you-"

He pulled her close and kissed her firmly on the lips. Her eyes widened and she pulled back. His eyes glinted mischievously. She didn't know it was possible, even for a goddess, to feel so many emotions at once. Confusion, fear, indignation, shock, and something else. Passion? Desire? What was happening to her? She needed to get back home. She needed to sort out all these jumbled feelings, but somehow she couldn't leave. Not just yet. There was something she needed to do first. She lifted herself up and kissed him back.

_A/N: Please review and tell me what you think!_


	12. Orpheus

_A/N: Many thanks for your reviews!_

Persephone knelt in the courtyard, planting an assortment of poisonous shrubs. They were definitely not her first choice for the garden, but according to Hecate, Persephone's options were slim indeed. She supposed they were better than nothing. Hades had helped her summon various gemstones to add color, and she was grateful for his help. He was teaching her geokinesis and summoning skills, but she was nowhere near his skill level. Her gemstones looked tiny and misshapen compared to his perfect, glittering stones. She valued the most plentiful plant in her garden, the pomegranate trees. She smiled at the irony, but she could not deny their importance to her garden. They grew vibrant red-orange blossoms, the only real flowers that could survive for an extended period of time in the Underworld.

Persephone hummed slightly as she worked. She suddenly felt a deep sense of melancholy. The tune she hummed was lovely but deeply sorrowful. She realized what she was doing and stopped, but the tune played on. She lifted her head and strained her ears. She heard mournful notes, perhaps from a lyre, in the air. She realized that apart from the music, the Underworld was unusually quiet.

"Persephone?" said a deep voice behind her. She turned and saw her husband moving towards her. "What… What is that?" he asked, bewildered. He looked confused and apprehensive. She had never seen him like this before.

"I don't know," she whispered, not wanting to interrupt the music. She stood and silently followed Hades toward the music.

They made their way through the Fields of Asphodel, past legions of shades. Many of the ghosts were so focused on the mournful melody, they forgot to bow and step aside, but both Hades and Persephone were too transfixed to notice. They walked through ghosts until a handsome young man with curly red-brown hair came into view. His bright green eyes were full of sadness and tears ran down his cheeks as he sang.

"Orpheus," Persephone gasped. She recognized him from his occasional visits to Olympus.

Hades nudged her gently. "Shhh." She quieted down as Orpheus began another verse.

"O Gods who rule the dark and silent world,  
>To you all born of a woman needs must come.<br>All lovely things at last go down to you.  
>You are the debtor who is always paid.<br>A little while we tarry up on earth.  
>Then we are yours forever and forever.<br>But I seek one who came to you too soon.  
>The bud was plucked before the flower bloomed.<br>I tried to bear my loss. I could not bear it.  
>Love was too strong a god, O King, you know<br>If that old tale men tell is true, how once  
>The flowers saw the rape of Persephone,<br>Then weave again for sweet Eurydice  
>Life's pattern that was taken from the loom<br>Too quick. See, I ask a little thing,  
>Only that you will lend, not give, her to me.<br>She shall be yours when her years' span is full." *

Both melody and lyrics pierced Persephone to her core, and she could not help but cry. She had listened to Orpheus before, and was impressed, but never had she heard him sing with such earnest emotion. With every note, she felt her heart would break. She glanced over at Hades, who was blinking rapidly. She turned back to watch Orpheus. Wait a minute. She looked at Hades again in disbelief. Her husband, the dread King of the Dead, was desperately trying not to weep, and was doing a poor job of it. She looked all around them. The ghosts were weeping, but she supposed that was normal. What definitely wasn't normal was the sight of the Fates, who were all sniffing loudly. Clotho had ceased her spinning, Lachesis held a thread up between her fingers, and Atropos held her shears as she watched Orpheus. The scissors were poised in midair, ready to cut down another life, but in her concentration on Orpheus, Atropos had forgotten them.

Perhaps even more shocking were the Furies. Alecto stood a few yards to Persephone's right, her cheeks glistening with tears. Her two sisters sobbed into each of her shoulders. To Persephone's left, Hecate cried hysterically into Thanatos's chest while he awkwardly patted her on the back, his own cheeks wet. Next to them, Morpheus and Hypnos slouched sadly, their eyes puffy and bleary from sleep and tears. In the distance, Cerberus lay on the ground, whimpering miserably. Persephone saw her chance.

She approached Orpheus and gave him a somewhat watery, but kind smile. "Well done, son of Calliope," she said gently. "I think you've earned the right to see your wife again." She called for Eurydice, who emerged from the ghostly crowd. The young bride smiled sadly, but her translucent eyes shone with pride for her husband's musical skills. Poor Orpheus trembled with sorrow and the sight of his wife's shade. He reached desperately for her, but his hand passed right through her. She gently chattered something that he could not understand.

He looked to Persephone with pleading eyes. "Please, mighty queen," he begged, "let me take her home."

Persephone turned to Hades. "He pleaded his case admirably, don't you agree, my lord? Can we not grant his request?"

A single tear fell down Hades' cheek. He opened his mouth to speak, but seemed unable, so he simply nodded mutely.

She smiled at the couple. "You are free to leave."

The lovers' eyes lit up with hope and together they bowed low. "Thank you, my lord and lady," said Orpheus earnestly, "I shall ever remember you as fair and generous rulers." They turned to leave, but Hades seemed to have found his voice.

"Take heed, hero." He spoke as though he had a head cold, which made Persephone smile because gods don't get head colds. "She must walk behind you and you must never look back until you both reach the surface, or else all will be lost." Orpheus nodded in understanding, and the couple left in single file.

All around Hades and Persephone, the Underworld denizens seemed to remember themselves. The Furies glanced around in embarrassment, as though they hoped no one had seen them in such a vulnerable state. They quickly took to the air and flew toward the Fields of Punishment. The Fates quickly dabbed their eyes on their robes and went back to their spinning, measuring, and snipping. Hecate apologized to Thanatos and hastily walked away through the Asphodel Fields, her face red as a pomegranate. Hypnos coughed rather loudly and told Morpheus, who still looked rather stunned, that they needed to fly back to the Land of Dreams. Cerberus slowly stood and growled, although his barks sounded subdued.

Without a word, Hades turned and started walking back to the palace. Persephone fell into step beside him. She grinned. "Well, my lord Hades," she said mischievously, "In all these years of marriage, I do believe that is the first time I've seen the king of the Underworld cry.

"And last," he scowled. "Besides, I wasn't really weeping. A piece of brimstone was caught in my eye, that's all."

"Right," she said, still grinning. She linked her arm through his. "I wish you could hear the Muses perform on Olympus," she continued, "You're obviously starved for beautiful music."

His scowl deepened. "Silly girl. You know I'm not welcome there, and they would never dream of coming here."

Persephone's smile faded. They walked in silence until they neared the castle. "For what it's worth," Persephone said gently, "Hestia would welcome you. And- and so would I."

Hades' features softened, but he still sounded bitter. "Why would Hestia care for me?"

Persephone's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You're her brother," she said, "Of course she cares about you. She always inquires after you whenever I'm on Olympus."

Hades didn't answer, but he moved closer to his wife. They walked in companionable silence until they reached the courtyard. As they passed through the gate, an ichor curdling scream filled the air, followed by the sound of weeping. Hades' scowl returned. "And of course," he said, throwing up his hands, "The idiot just couldn't resist taking a peek!"

Persephone gasped. "Poor Eurydice!" she cried. She ran from the courtyard, hoping she could offer the poor girl some comfort.

*_I got these lyrics from Edith Hamilton's _Mythology.


	13. Heroes

_A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews! Have some cookies! _(::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)

Persephone descended a black marble staircase and walked down the corridor towards the dining room.  
>She strained her ears, for she thought she had heard unfamiliar voices earlier, but now all was quiet. If her husband had company, she supposed she would see them at dinner. As she approached the elaborate ebony and bronze dining room doorway, an undead servant gave a low bow and opened the door for her. She stepped inside and took in a peculiar scene.<p>

A sumptuous feast awaited her on the long, black stone table. Directly across the table from where she entered the room stood Hades, grinning like a madman. To his right sat two men upon a gray bench, large enough for three or four mortals. They appeared to be frozen in place, their faces contorted into horrified expressions. "Hades," Persephone ventured warily, "what are you doing? And who are those men?"

Hades' grin widened. "Ah. I'm glad you asked, my dear. Meet two of my countless nephews, Theseus and Pirithous."

She glanced at the men, then back to Hades. "Why are they frozen to that chair?"

"Now that," Hades said, obviously enjoying himself, "is a most interesting story. Would you care to hear it?"

"I'm not sure," she answered. "In situations like these, I've learned it's sometimes better to just walk away."

"Oh, come now, my love. It will only take a moment."

Persephone hesitated, but entered the room. She sat at the large dining room table exactly opposite from the two young men. Hades disappeared and reappeared into the chair directly to her right. He placed his elbows on the table and clasped his hands, resting his chin on top of them. He beamed at Persephone and began his tale.

"Once, there were two demigods." He gestured to the man sitting on the left. "Theseus, son of Poseidon." He then gestured to the man next to him, "and Pirithous, son of Zeus. Now, like most demigods, these two young men were very arrogant; however, being sons of the second and third most powerful gods in the universe, they thought they were especially important. They passed various tests of strength and courage. Young Theseus managed to defeat the Minotaur, and both men hunted the Calydonian Boar and battled centaurs. After a while, they got feeling so good about themselves, they decided they should each marry a daughter of Zeus. Theseus chose a very beautiful child named Helen, who surely will become even more beautiful as she reaches marrying age. With Pirithous's help, he kidnapped the girl and left her in the care of his mother."

"Will she be alright?" Persephone asked with concern.

"Oh, don't worry about her," Hades answered dismissively. "Her brothers are not to be trifled with. They will rescue her promptly."

Hades continued his tale. "As for Pirithous, well, a humble demigoddess simply wasn't good enough for him." Hades smiled wickedly at the man on the right. "Oh, no; nothing less than a full born goddess would satisfy him. And even better, why not mock the gods by choosing the best guarded goddess of all? He decided to carry away the Underworld's ravishing queen, Persephone."

"Hmm," interrupted Persephone with mock confusion, "this story does seem familiar. Wasn't there a certain king of the Underworld who stole a girl away?"

Hades scowled. "That was completely different! That maiden wasn't married!"

"That's true," conceded Persephone.

"May I finish my story now?"

"By all means."

"It truly was a brilliant plan," continued Hades sardonically, "How could two such brilliant heroes ever fail? Unfortunately, the lowly king of the Underworld knew their plan before they could even darken his doorstep. He arranged a feast in their honor, inviting them to sit in that chair. Unbeknownst to our heroes, that seat is called the Chair of Forgetfulness. Whoever sits there will become frozen in time. By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late."

"You mean they've forgotten who they are?"

"Well, no, actually. They've just forgotten how to move and must remain frozen in that position until someone helps them up."

"So they can hear us?"

Hades' smile turned downright sadistic as he gazed at the heroes. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"And they can be freed if someone simply helps them up?" questioned Persephone.

"Well, it would need to be either a god or a demigod of superior strength- Wait." He turned to his wife with suspicious eyes. "Persephone, don't you dare. What if they tried to carry you off?"

Persephone looked slightly offended. "Why, I'd turn them into flowers, of course. I'm not completely helpless, you know."

"True, but at any rate, I need my nephews to stay here with us."

Persephone raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because, if I'm ever in a bad mood-"

"You mean every day?"

"Be quiet, Persephone. If I'm ever in a bad mood or experiencing a trying day, I can remember the fate of my nephews here and feel instantly better," he said with a satisfied smile.

Persephone sighed. "Well, if this is what you really want, I suppose I won't complain; but please, can we remove them from the dining room?"

"Why?"

"I can't eat with them staring at me like that! It's most disconcerting!"

"Very well, but where shall we put them? The garden? Every fine garden needs statues, and what better way to punish Pirithous than putting him in an environment where he will often be in the presence of the lady he can never have?"

Persephone shrugged. "I suppose that would be alright."

Hades called a half a dozen skeletons over to remove the heroes. As they hauled the chair and its occupants out the door, Persephone looked at Hades with a mischievous smile. "Well, I'm glad it wasn't Theseus who wanted me," she said.

"Why?" Hades asked, confused.

"Pirithous is much better looking."

"Persephone!"

* * *

><p>Hercules managed to escape the security ghouls, but only barely. He crept up the pathway to the castle, and the gates opened by themselves. The skeletal guards did nothing, but their heads turned to observe him as he passed through. He made his way through the eerie garden, full of mushrooms, shrubs, gemstones, and pomegranate trees. Something caught his eye. Adrenaline pumping, he pulled out his sword and peered through the orchard. Two men sat motionlessly on a large stone chair. Hercules gasped as he recognized them. He cautiously approached the chair and reached out his strong arm, grasping the hand of the man on the left and lifting him up. The freed man gasped, and observed his surroundings, eyes wide.<p>

"Good gods, cousin!" cried Hercules, "What happened to you? Everyone thought you were dead."

"Well, considering our environment, their theory was not far off," replied Theseus with a voice raspy from lack of use.

Have you been here all these months?"

"No time to explain," croaked Theseus, "We have to get out of here. Help me free Pirithous!"

As Theseus reached for Pirithous, the shadows around the bench bended and warped. They joined together and formed the shape of a ten foot tall man. The image solidified into the king of the Underworld. He grabbed Pirithous's shoulders and held him to the chair. Theseus instantly fell to his knees and bowed. "My lord," he pleaded, "I beg your forgiveness. And the forgiveness of your queen, as well!"

"Theseus," said Hades smoothly, "if you leave my presence within the next ten seconds, I might not come after you, and you just might escape the Underworld alive, but do not try to rescue Pirithous."

Theseus bolted.

Hades turned to Hercules and scowled. "Well? What makes you so proud that you see fit to trespass on my domain, son of Zeus?"

A flicker of fear crossed Hercules's face, but he quickly regained control. "My lord uncle," he said boldly, "In order to purify myself, I have but one more task to perform, and I need your cooperation."

Hades' scowl deepened. _Here we go, _he thought, _as always, the hero thinks he can give all the orders._

"I must present your hound Cerberus to my master, Eurystheus."

Hades rubbed his temples in irritation. "I suppose I won't stop you. But don't expect any help from me. And you must not use weapons to overcome Cerberus. Use only your hands and try not to hurt him."

"Why?" asked Hercules.

"Why?" yelled Hades, "Must I explain this to you? I don't want Cerberus to end up in Tartarus for the next fifty years! I need my guard dog and I don't want you killing him accidently. Eurystheus doesn't intend to keep the beast; he only wants to see if you are up to the task. So, hurry up and get on with it so you can bring him back and stop testing my good mood!" Hades turned and stormed away. _Honestly! _He thought. _Just how many of these heroes do I have to put up with in one century?_

_A/N: Reviews are much appreciated. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I had to do something with Theseus and Pirithous. I mean, really? Those guys honestly thought they could outsmart Hades and Persephone? Someone needs their head deflated. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it. :) _


	14. The Charity and the Daemon Part 1

_A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading, reviewing, and subscribing to this story, and I apologize for letting it go for so long. Life got crazy, then I suffered from writer's block, and now life is crazy again, but hopefully with school almost out, I'll be able to keep this story up better during the summer. I just want you all to know how much I appreciate your feedback and support. It always makes my day when I see messages in my inbox :)_

_I'm sorry this next chapter is short, but hopefully I'll be able to write more soon with summer coming._

Hypnos rubbed his eyes and blinked hard, willing himself to stay awake. The sky glowed with coral pink light. He yawned widely. Dawn had arrived already. It was way past his bedtime. He had just finished his nightly rounds with his mother, bringing sleep to mortals, and on most days he'd be tucked in his favorite feather bed by now, but Iris had summoned him with the message that Hera wished to see him. He sighed and hoped to Zeus that she didn't have any more dangerous work for him. The fact that she wanted to see him personally didn't bode well. He flew halfheartedly thorough the streets of sleepy downtown Olympus, now made sleepier by his very presence.

Making his way through the heavenly city, he turned a corner and drifted along a familiar street. Hypnos looked up with some surprise as he recognized his location. Memories bitter and sweet flooded back to him and he smiled sadly to himself. He hadn't consciously decided to take this route to the palace of Hera and Zeus, but he supposed it made sense that his wings had carried him here. He had been down this street so often he could walk it in his sleep, and he was pretty sure that had actually happened more than once. Aphrodite's lavish home stood at the end of the street. Next to Aphrodite's palace stood an elegant, large house surrounded by neat gardens. He gazed up at the structure, wondering if he would catch a glimpse of honey golden curls. He smiled. She was likely still asleep. She never woke up this early. Would she be happy to see him? Not likely, he thought sadly. Had she not chosen to raise their son on Olympus with her sisters rather than marrying him and moving to the Underworld? Impulsively, he decided to enter the garden. The sweet scent of nuts and fruits drifted towards him from the large orchard behind the house. As he entered the orchard and approached a large almond tree he allowed the memories to carry him away.

He was a young man; well, at least by godly standards. He opened his sleepy eyes and beheld a young woman sitting across from him against an almond tree. She was smirking at him, her sky blue eyes filled with amusement. He rubbed the back of his head in some confusion. He couldn't remember where he was for sure, but at the moment he didn't care. As long as he could gaze at the loveliness before him, he was happy. He smiled uncertainly. She grinned back.

"Rise and shine, morning glory!" she said cheerily, "good to see you finally awake!"

He smiled sheepishly. "How long?" he asked.

Her grin widened. "Have you been asleep? Four days straight now. I've never seen anything like it. I was worried for a little while, but Thalia told me you'd be fine.

He blushed slightly. "Forgive me," he said, "I didn't intend to stay so long. You could have woken me up."

"Oh, my sisters wanted to," she replied blithely, "but I convinced them to let you be. You looked so peaceful, and you weren't doing any harm. Are your naps usually this long?"

"No," he laughed and stretched his stiff back. "They're usually longer. In a quiet room with a comfortable bed, I can go for weeks."

"You don't say," she chuckled, "you must be hungry." She handed him a large platter of pastries. "I'm Pasithea, by the way."

He gratefully accepted the platter. "I'm Hypnos." He tasted a pastry and gazed at his companion. She was quite young, barely past adolescence by the look of her, although one could never be sure with immortals. Her golden curls were tied up, though a few shorter locks had come loose and fell around her face. Her porcelain skin was unblemished save for a small sprinkling of freckles across her nose, but they only added to her charm. She seemed unembarrassed by his attention, and the two observed each other in comfortable silence.

As Hypnos began his third pastry, she spoke. "Your wings are beautiful," she said earnestly, "Such beautiful colors."

"Colors?" he mumbled through his full mouth. He gazed over his shoulder at the black feathers, shining with a kaleidoscope of blues, purples, and greens. He swallowed and smiled at her. "Yes, I suppose the sun brings out their full potential. We don't get any sun where I live, and when I am outside, it's usually night time.

Her smile turned almost sympathetic. "You're an Underworld daemon, aren't you? My sister recognized you as the god of sleep and a son of Nyx. I suppose it's sad, living in the Underworld.

He shrugged. "It's not so bad. I'm close to my family, and I have a nice, quiet home. Perhaps I could show you someday. Parts of the Underworld are surprisingly beautiful.

She blushed slightly and picked at her chiton. "Maybe someday…" she answered. "So," she abruptly changed the subject, "what brought you to our orchard?"

He swallowed what remained of his third pastry. "Well, I…" he began, "I was on my way home after performing my nightly rounds when I happened to look down and saw this orchard. For some reason or another I was especially tired and I thought I would stop and rest for a few minutes."

She giggled. "And you woke up four days later with a stiff back and an empty stomach. Do you often fall asleep without meaning to?"

He shrugged and grinned. "Occupational hazard."

"How exactly do you complete you duties if you fall asleep all the time?"

"You know as well as I do the best thing about being a god is you can be in more than one place at once. If a mortal needs sleep, a portion of my essence rouses no matter where I am to fulfill my duty. What about you? You are clearly a goddess. If Thalia is your sister, you must be one of the Charities.

"You are absolutely right, but I'm merely one of the younger Charities. A minor minor goddess, if you will. I have many sisters, but the three eldest, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia are three principle charities.

"Nonsense! Each god and goddess is important. What's your sphere of influence?"

"Well, technically I'm the goddess of rest and relaxation, but my sisters and I also serve as handmaidens and companions to Aphrodite."

Hypnos grinned. "Rest and Relaxation? My dear girl, I do believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

She smiled. "I certainly hope so."

Hypnos finished off a fourth pastry and stretched his legs out before him. His eyelids drooped and he attempted vainly to stifle a yawn. Pasithea laughed. "Oh, no you don't! At this rate, you'll never get home." She stood up and offered her hand. Hypnos sheepishly accepted it and stood up.

"My lady, may I call upon you again?" he asked with polite bow.

The young Charity beamed up at him. "You most certainly can."

To be continued...


	15. The Charity and the Daemon Part 2

_A/N_: _Hey, everyone! I'm sorry for the long absence. I wish I had a good excuse, but I don't. Work and school have kept me busy, but I still would have had more time to update if I wasn't so lazy. Updates may continue to be slow, but I'll try to avoid long hiatuses from now on. _

_So, the next _Heroes of Olympus _book is called _The House of Hades?! :-O _I totally did not see that one coming! Er… I mean, of course I saw it coming! I'm a psychic genius! Although, I'm a little concerned. I'm afraid that people looking for fan created sequels will only be confused by this. (Although, maybe people looking up _House of Hades _will see this story and I'll gain more readers! That would be awesome. I just hope I don't get people upset with me._

_Anyway, this is another Hypnos/Pasithea chapter and it's mostly a development chapter. In other words, I hope it doesn't bore everyone to death. But please bear with me! I promise I'll get back to Hades and Persephone as soon as I can!_

_P.S. Poor Nico! Was everyone as sad for him as I was at the end of _Mark of Athena_? I just wanted to give him a hug! Sorry, that was kind of random… Anyway, on with the story!_

* * *

><p>"Pasithea! Wake up!"<p>

Pasithea moaned and rolled over on the couch. She looked up into the irritated face of her sister Pandaisia, the goddess of rich banquets. She gave what she hoped was a charming smile. "Five more minutes?"

Pandaisia rolled her eyes. "Guess who's in the orchard now?"

Pasithea yawned and shrugged. "How should I know? Whoever it is, was it really necessary to wake me from such a heavenly nap?"

"It's Hypnos," replied Pandaisia flatly.

Pasithea instantly sat up, red-faced and shocked. "Hypnos… Why? What's he doing here?" she asked nervously.

Pandaisia regarded her sister with mild surprise. "Oh, so you didn't invite him. Well, at any rate, he's sound asleep in our orchard. Iris came by looking for him. Apparently, he missed an audience with Hera and she's fit to be tied. I wanted to have him thrown out right away, but Aglaia insisted we should ask you first. After all, he's the father of your child, our nephew, and perhaps he was here on your invitation, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, if you _didn't _invite him, he's trespassing where he's not wanted, again, so I'll go ask Lady Aphrodite to send her husband over to remove him."

"Wait!" Pasithea interrupted, "I'll go talk to him." She jumped up and hurried towards the back door.

Pandaisia raised an eyebrow. "Good luck waking him up. If you do manage it, tell him Hera will forgive him if he comes tomorrow afternoon, but it will be his last chance!" she said, raising her voice as Pasithea moved farther away.

Pasithea slowed down as she entered the orchard, feeling shy and uncertain. She could feel her whole face burning with nervousness and embarrassment. _What's wrong with you? _she scolded herself, _I'll just wake him and ask him what he wants. Stop_ _blushing like a child. _As she approached the almond section of the orchard, she caught a glimpse of raven black wings and curls. She smiled in spite of herself and softly shook her head. _Oh, Hypnos, you haven't changed a bit. _She thought of that day so many years ago, when she had met him for the first time in that very spot.

_"Pasithea, will you_ please _pick yourself up off of that couch and help us? We need to gather fruits and nuts from the orchard," asked a mildly irritated Aglaia._

_ "And flowers for wreaths," chimed in Antheia._

_ "Yes dear, flowers too," agreed Aglaia. _

_ Pasithea yawned deeply and slowly rose from one of Aphrodite's many luxurious couches. The goddess of love sat across from her with an amused smile on her face. _

_ "Hurry, dear," Aglaia prodded her sister impatiently. _

_ Aphrodite laughed softly. "Don't be too hard on her, Aglaia darling, resting is part of her nature."_

_ Aglaia shook her head. "It's not just her nature, my lady. She's been impossible since she met that daemon." _

_ Aphrodite sat forward eagerly. "Daemon? My dear Pasithea, did you meet someone? You must tell me everything. Is he handsome? Well, of course he must be handsome, but how handsome? When did this happen? Oh, you're a naughty girl to keep this from me for so long!"_

_ Pasithea looked from her mistress to her sisters. "It's not like that. I only met him yesterday. We're _friends."

_Aglaia and Thalia shared knowing looks. "'Friends,' you say?" chimed in Euphrosyne. "Pasithea, surely you are old enough to realize 'friendship' is not what gods are after."_

_ "But surely you realize the dangers of allowing things to go too far," said Thalia seriously. "Should he seek your hand in marriage, you'd be lost to us forever."_

_ "Marriage? Pasithea's getting married?" cried out little Paidia as she entered the room. She ran to Pasithea and clutched at her skirt. "Pasithea, you can't! I couldn't bear to see you leave!"_

_ "Girls, I demand to know who it is we're talking about!" said Aphrodite, speaking loudly over the din. "Who's threatening to take our Pasithea away?"_

_ "It's Hypnos, my lady," answered Aglaia. "He woke up in our orchard yesterday and met Pasithea."_

_ "Yes, and if he marries Pasithea, she'll have to move to the Underworld, and we'll hardly ever see her again," explained Thalia._

_ "Oh, but you can't!" Paidia wailed to Pasithea, "can you imagine how awful it would be, living among all the ghosts?"_

_ Antheia shuddered. "You'd have Nyx for a mother-in-law, Death for a brother-in-law, and Nemesis for a sister-in-law. Not the sort of family I'd want to marry into."_

_ "Well of course marriage is out of the question!" Aphrodite said firmly. "Pasithea, honey, I'm thrilled to hear you've finally found yourself some romance but by no means should you feel obligated to marry this boy."_

_ Pasithea snapped and stood up straight. "Who said anything about romance, let alone marriage? We're friends, I tell you, _friends!"

_The goddesses all stared at her in shock. "Calm down, Pasithea dear. It's not like you to get so worked up," said Aglaia gently._

_ "She's in love, this proves it," said Thalia knowingly._

_Pasithea looked irritably up at the ceiling, throwing her hands up in the air and giving a frustrated growl. She stood and moodily stomped to Aphrodite's front door. As she opened it and stepped outside, it took some control not to slam it harshly. Why couldn't her sisters just leave her alone? Of course she loved them, but having to endure five of them as they chattered and gossiped about her love life gave her a splitting headache. She closed her eyes and rubbed her right temple in irritation. Had she overreacted? Why did she feel so worked up over this anyway? She chanced to glance up at her house next door to her mistress's and saw a young black-winged god shuffling nervously by the gate. She felt her cheeks flush with heat. She was looking frantically around for a place to hide when Hypnos happened to see her. His face, although still wearing a somewhat embarrassed expression, brightened at the sight of her and he quickly flew forward to meet her._

_He smiled a little shyly. "Good day, Miss." He frowned at her flushed expression. "Is everything alright?"_

_Pasithea managed a smile. "Yes, but um… Hypnos, what are you doing here?" She tried with all her might not to look at the window, where her sisters were no doubt pointing, staring, chattering, and fighting each other for a view. _

_Hypnos flushed. "Well, I… That is, you said I could call on you. I'm sorry. I should have told you I was coming."_

_Pasithea gave a small sigh and held up a hand, her face still red. "No, no. It's fine. Um, perhaps we could go somewhere else to talk?" Her eyes shifted involuntarily towards Aphrodite's window, noting with mortification that her mental picture of her sisters had been correct. To make matters worse, Hypnos followed her eyes and gazed at the window himself, his face splitting into a spectacular grin. _

"_Of course!" he said mischievously. "Don't be embarrassed! I know all about prying siblings!" And with that, he scooped up Pasithea in his arms and flew away. _

_Pasithea shrieked in surprise as they flew over marble buildings and lush gardens towards a small park at the center of the city. She tried to protest, but Hypnos merely laughed. His merriment continued as he descended into the gardens and gently placed Pasithea down. _

_Pasithea glared at him. "Well, thanks to you, my sisters will never again give me a moment's peace," she said with irritation._

_He chuckled slightly and leaned against a tree. "Don't be angry. Your sisters seem kindly enough. Nothing to worry about compared to my siblings." _

"_Do your siblings try to meddle in your personal life?"_

"_Ha. Some of them do; particularly Thanatos and Epiphron. Thanatos is my twin and we've always been close, so I suppose it's natural for him, being involved in my personal affairs. Epiphron is one of my oldest brothers and he seems to think it's his duty to constantly give advice. But I have siblings far worse than they."_

"_Hmm." Pasithea contemplated this for a few moments. "Nemesis is one of your sisters, is she not?"_

_Hypnos shuddered. "Don't get me started on her. Oh she thinks she's in the right, bringing balance and what have you, but if she were as fair as she claims, then why do some suffer more than others?"_

_Pasithea gave a small smile. "And as her brother, you feel you've gotten more than your fair share?"_

"_There was this one time," Hypnos began, "When my brother Momus wrote insulting comments all over Nemesis's and Eris's favorite robes. And then, he blamed Thanatos and me! You'd think my sisters would figure out that Momus did it. He _is _the god of mockery and blame. But noooo, Nemesis and Eris always did hate us. Nemesis threw my favorite pillow in the River Styx while Momus stood by and laughed." He shuddered as though the memory still haunted him. _

_Pasithea aimed to change the subject. "Isn't Momus the one who wrote 'Support Kronos' all over Zeus's temple walls?"_

"_That's him." Hypnos couldn't contain a smirk. "He can be hilarious when you're not the object of his ridicule. Not that you'll ever have to worry about that. Zeus banished him from Olympus." _

"_Ah, yes. I remember that," she replied. The two of them sat side by side, enjoying the warm sunshine. Willows swayed in the calm breeze and river nymphs giggled as they played and splashed in the water. Pasithea could hear flutes and lyres on the wind. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fragrance of honeysuckle and lilac. _

_She felt a sudden weight on her shoulder and warm breath on her neck. "Hypnos," she groaned, "Must you do this here and now? We're in public! People are bound to get the wrong idea." He answered with a soft snore. Pasithea sighed. She gently pushed Hypnos away from her. He sat up and gave a groggy yawn, blinking as though in a daze. Murmuring something unintelligible, he closed his eyes again and curled up on the lawn, using Pasithea's lap for a pillow. Pasithea blushed. "No, no, no. That's even worse!" she cried, but Hypnos was dead to the world. Pasithea rolled her eyes. "It's a good thing you're cute," she grumbled. She leaned up against the tree and closed her eyes, letting the soft music and Hypnos's gentle breathing carry her away. _

* * *

><p>"<em>Hypnos?" <em>

_Pasithea stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She immediately had to blink as her eyes suddenly registered the brightness before her. Two beautiful immortals stood hand in hand. The one who had spoken was a goddess with tan skin and light golden brown hair. Her companion was a god whose light brown skin and hair seemed to glow. Both beamed down at Pasithea and Hypnos. _

"_I'm Hemera, the goddess of day," chirped the goddess, "this is my brother and husband Aether, god of light and Heaven's air."_

_The god grinned and nodded at Pasithea. "My dear young lady," he began in a deep, melodious voice, "May we please have the pleasure of your name and the reason why our little brother is asleep on your lap?" _

_Hemera giggled. "What glorious news! And to think we thought the boy was too lazy and sleepy to find a lover!"_

_Aether nodded at Hypnos. "Anyone can see he's sleepy and lazy, my dear, but I guess he didn't let that stop him!"_

"_Oh, no!" gasped Pasithea, "We're not…um, _lovers._"_

_Aether raised his eyebrows. "Not lovers, you say?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. Then how did you come to be in this situation? You wouldn't trifle with the affections of a young god, would you?"_

_Pasithea's eyes widened as she felt her face heat up. "No! You have the wrong idea, we're good friends, and-"_

_Presently, Hypnos began to stir. He sat up and stretched, blinking before the brilliance of his siblings. As he realized the identity of the pair before him, his eyes widened and he gasped, straitening up against the tree. "Hemera? Aether? What are you two doing here?"_

_Hemera crossed her arms and looked down at her younger brother, eyebrows raised. "We live here, Hypnos. On Olympus. We always take a walk together at this time. Why didn't you stop by our home? You never visit!"_

"_Well, I…I've been busy," he stuttered. _

_Hemera gave a small smile. "So I can see. Who is this lovely young lady? Your, ah, how did she put it? Good friend?" _

"_Uh, yes. This is Pasithea. Pasithea, these are my siblings Hemera and Aether. _

"_Uh, yes. They've introduced themselves," Pasithea replied in a small voice. _

_Hemera's eyes twinkled. "Well, now that introductions are out of the way, let's all go to my house for ambrosia and conversation. Please bring your 'friend' along, Hypnos."_

"_But I'm still sleepy," moaned Hypnos._

"_You'll live," replied Hemera cheerily. _

"_Actually, I really should be getting back home," said Pasithea. _

"_I'll walk you!" announced Hypnos quickly. Goodbye Hemera, Aether!"_

"_But what about ambrosia?" asked Hemera._

"_Maybe some other time!" Hypnos called over his shoulder._

"_Come on, Hemera," Aether said mischievously, "They obviously don't want us around. Who are we to break up their alone time?" He gently elbowed his wife in the ribs, which earned him a grin and an eruption of giggles._

* * *

><p>"<em>Hypnos, why don't you join your siblings for ambrosia? I can walk home alone, and they both seem nice enough."<em>

_Hypnos sighed. "Oh, they're nice. But they're also bossy chatterboxes. I can never get a moment's peace around them. And who do they think they are? They're barely older than me!" _

"_Well, I'm glad I could offer you an excuse to get away from them," smiled Pasithea. "We're out of their sight, now. You can leave me if you have something else to do."_

_Hypnos frowned slightly. "Oh. Well, if you want me to leave."_

"_I didn't mean that," she replied. She looked away to hide her blush. "I like having you around."_

_Hypnos grinned. "Alright, then." _

_Pasithea grinned back. "We'll take the long way home."_


	16. The Charity and the Daemon Part 3

At first, Epiphron thought he must be seeing things, but no, that was indeed his little brother Hypnos loitering outside of the Charities' garden. Hypnos shuffled his feet and cast anxious, nervous glances at the windows of the spacious house and lush garden, fidgeting the whole time. Epiphron walked up to him quietly. "Brother Hypnos?"

Hypnos jumped a foot in the air and let out a yelp. His face turned scarlet and he fidgeted even more agitatedly. "E-Epiphron?! Don't scare me like that! What are you doing here anyway?"

"Just walking by," the older brother answered. "I think the more important question is 'what are _you _doing here'?"

Hypnos's face turned an even brighter shade of red, if that were possible. "N-nothing," he stammered guiltily.

Epiphron looked unconvinced. "Uh-huh," he said doubtfully. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hypnos gave a nervous smile. "Talk? Talk about what? There's nothing for us to talk about. Not really…"

"Thanatos told me you haven't been yourself lately."

Hypnos sighed in defeat. "Well, I have been having trouble sleeping," he admitted.

Epiphron's eyebrows shot up straight to his hairline. "Trouble sleeping? Are you serious? This is worse than I thought."

"Well…"

Epiphron furrowed his eyebrows. "The fact that you're lazing about in front of the Charities' garden wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?"

Hypnos gave a deep sigh. "Look, Epiphron. I'm a big god now. It's nothing you need concern yourself with."

"Oh, but I do concern myself with it. I'm concerned about all my siblings."

"Especially when it's none of your concern," Hypnos muttered irritably; although if Epiphron heard him, he showed no sign.

"Word's gotten around, you've been spending quite a bit of time with the Charity Pasithea," Epiphron continued.

"Yes," Hypnos conceded reluctantly, "we've formed a bit of an, ah, _attachment_, I'd guess you'd say."

"So, you're in love with her," Epiphron concluded.

"Well, I, when you put it like that…"

"Hypnos, listen to me. You should know that pursuing a relationship with this young goddess would not be wise," Epiphron said with authority. "You're an Underworld deity. Do you really think Pasithea would leave her home, family, and the sunny world she knows to be with you?"

Hypnos's expression morphed from one of nervous, irritated embarrassment to one of affront. "What are you suggesting, Epiphron? That I'm not good enough for her? That she would abandon me? Pasithea cares about me, and I know that she's more honorable than that!"

Epiphron shook his head softly and placed his hands on Hypnos's shoulders. "I'm only saying, Little Brother, that you two are not right for each other. Do not become so absorbed in passionate emotions that you abandon prudent thought. Find a fellow Underworld deity to make your home with." Epiphron smiled benignly and patted Hypnos's left shoulder before walking down the lane.

Hypnos scowled. "Oh, yes. Plenty of agreeable women down in the Underworld," he muttered sarcastically, "Alecto's a simply delightful woman. And Nemesis and I have so much in common!" He heard the front door open and whipped around. Pasithea skipped towards him, her bright smile faltering slightly when she saw his expression.

"Hypnos," she said softly, "is everything alright?"

Hypnos smiled quickly and kissed Pasithea on the cheek, causing her to blush. "I'm fine," he answered, "Where would you like to go?"

* * *

><p>Thanatos was enjoying a rare moment of free time when the quiet was broken by a grumpy Hypnos. The god of sleep walked over to one of Thanatos's chairs and plopped down, favoring Thanatos with a bad-tempered glare.<p>

"Hypnos," Thanatos ventured cautiously, "What seems to be the problem?"

"What gave you the right to tell Epiphron about my affairs?" Hypnos asked irritably.

"Your affairs? I only told him you haven't been yourself."

"Yes, well, he took it upon himself to give me some very unwanted and unneeded 'guidance'," said Hypnos, spitting the last word out with wry contempt. "If I ever hear one word of advice from him again, I'll pluck out his feathers!"

Thanatos smirked. "Why? Wasn't his advice, well, prudent?"

Hypnos scoffed. "He would call it prudence but what right does he have to tell us all what is prudent?"

"He's the god of prudence," Thanatos deadpanned.

"Yes, well, that's beside the point!" Hypnos sputtered. "He can advise me to be prudent, but it's my life and I'll do as I please!"

Thanatos grinned. "He only gave you advice, Brother. You don't have to take it." He handed Hypnos a square of ambrosia.

Hypnos smiled back. "No. No I don't."

* * *

><p>Pasithea sighed contentedly as she wove wildflowers into chains, comfortably snuggled against Hypnos, who smiled down at her drowsily. Everything seemed so peaceful and serene away from the bustle of the heavenly city. Not that she disliked the city of Olympus by any means. The majestic city had been her home for as long as she could remember and was called 'heaven' for a reason. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the change of scene. She and Hypnos had found a lovely, quiet meadow by the sea, and were currently enjoying the bright pinks and oranges of the sunset. She smiled wryly. Her sisters and Aphrodite barely went a moment anymore without warnings of the dangers of falling in love with a deity from the Underworld. She would be lying to herself if she said the thought didn't trouble her. She kept these prickling questions in the back of her mind; the foremost one being her uncertainty about her future with Hypnos. She loved Hypnos. She knew that now. But could she really find a home in the Underworld? She snuggled closer to Hypnos and found her anxiety melt away. Her own private warnings and the warnings of her sisters seemed insignificant as long as she was in Hypnos's arms.<p> 


	17. The Charity and the Daemon 4(Final Part)

_**Important Author's Note**__: I don't know if anyone is still reading this story, but if you are, thanks for bearing with me, and I'm sorry it took so long. This is another Hypnos/Pasithea chapter, but I promise it is the last one. The next chapter will have a lot of Hades and Persephone. I've started writing it, but I confess to feeling a little blocked. Don't worry though, I'll make it through. Thanks again everyone! :)_

Hypnos followed the Charity down Aphrodite's marble corridors, sandaled feet clacking against the hard, smooth floor. He was pretty sure this one was named Pandaisia, though it was difficult to keep track of all Pasithea's sisters. He glanced through an open door into a sitting room, where two more Charities peered back at him. The one he thought was called Antheia sized him up through narrowed eyes; while Thalia's normal good cheer seemed subdued. Hypnos smiled back nervously. He knew Pasithea's sisters didn't exactly approve of him. He had once overheard Pandaisia's not-so-subtle whining about his "constantly hanging about" the house or the garden. Thalia, at least, had always treated him with polite friendliness, but just now even she seemed unhappy with him. He begin to feel more nervous as he followed Pandaisia through the palace, her back ramrod straight and her head held high in haughty triumph.

She led him to an ornate doorway of polished mahogany and gold. She told him to wait as she opened the door and passed through the doorway. A few moments later, she returned and offered him a sneer. "Our lady will see you now," she said coolly, gesturing him through the doorway.

The fragrant smell of roses greeted Hypnos as he stepped into the large room. The soft pink walls held colorful paintings and intricate tapestries, all stunningly depicting gorgeous women, dashing men, and romantic scenes. On a large plush sofa upholstered in golden silk lounged the love goddess herself. Hypnos blinked at her rather stupidly for a few moments before he realized she was beckoning to him. How any god managed to keep his head when first faced with Aphrodite was a mystery to Hypnos. He stepped forward rather nervously and gave the goddess a deferential bow. "You requested a meeting with me, my lady?" he asked politely.

"Yes, Hypnos. Thank you," she answered. "I'll get straight to the point. I know that you have feelings for my handmaiden, Pasithea."

Hypnos blushed slightly, but nodded. "You are correct, milady," he acquiesced.

She smirked. "Of course I am. I am knowledgeable of all matters of the heart. But you see, Hypnos, I've noticed that Pasithea has been a bit melancholy lately and I think I know why."

Hypnos started a bit at this news. "What's wrong with Pasithea, milady?" he asked nervously.

Aphrodite cocked her head as she moistened her lips and eyed Hypnos critically. "I think you'd better ask Pasithea what is troubling her, but be warned, Hypnos. I have no intention of giving up one of my cherished handmaidens, and you would be wise not to pressure her into any sort of commitment to you. The Underworld may be your home, but it is no place for a girl like Pasithea."

Hypnos narrowed his eyes at the goddess, wondering why everyone felt it their duty to meddle in his personal life. He kept his temper, though, knowing it would be foolhardy to antagonize one of the Twelve Olympians. Besides, he had a more pressing issue than the meddling goddess. "My lady, may I speak with Pasithea now?"

Aphrodite nodded. "By all means. You'll find her in the orchard by the almond trees."

Hypnos bowed again and made his way into the orchard, finding Pasithea by the tree where they first met. She sat with her back against the tree, chin resting on her right fist as she stared into the distance. "Pasithea?" he ventured quietly, "Is everything all right?"

She turned her head to look at him. She gave a brief, halfhearted smile, but her face soon fell into a troubled expression. "Hello, Hypnos."

Hypnos's brows furrowed in concern. He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. "Darling, what's wrong? Please tell me," he pleaded gently.

She looked away. "Hypnos, I…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I think I'm going to have a child."

Hypnos stared at her, eyes widening as he registered this information. "A… A child? Our child?" he sputtered.

"Yes, Hypnos, our child," she said as she rubbed her temple in mild irritation.

Hypnos looked dazed. "My child?"

"Yes, of course it's your child," she said impatiently. "I haven't…been…with anyone else but you."

"Pasithea, I… Well, this is good news, isn't it?" He said with a hopeful smile.

Pasithea managed to smile back. "It is," she agreed. "I guess I'm just not used to the idea yet. I confess I'm a bit nervous."

"There's no need to be nervous," he assured her gently. "Although, I am sorry I got you into this so soon. Neither of us was planning this and I suppose my behavior was a bit irresponsible."

Pasithea reached up and patted his arm. "You're not to blame, Hypnos; at least not solely. You never forced me. I chose to be with you."

"Pasithea, you do care for me, don't you?" asked Hypnos.

Pasithea's eyes softened. "Of course I do," she answered gently.

"Then, could you ever consider me as a husband for you?"

Pasithea frowned slightly and her eyes became troubled. "Hypnos, I… I don't think Aphrodite would let me, and I'm not sure I could bring myself to make my home in the Underworld." She looked away, ashamed. "I just don't know if I could do that. And… I can't fathom raising a child in the Underworld."

Hypnos blinked. Had everyone's predictions been true, after all?

Pasithea bowed her head as she let out a small sob. "I'm sorry, Hypnos. I'm so sorry."

* * *

><p>Pasithea hoped rather ashamedly that her child would resemble her rather than Hypnos, knowing it would be easier to raise her child without a constant reminder of her old lover and the crestfallen expression he had worn after she rejected his proposal. Hypnos had not come back since that day, although he had sent Iris over with gifts for her and the baby, along with a note telling her to send for him if she needed help. When the baby came, Pasithea had all the help she needed from her sisters, though she couldn't soothe the gaping hole in her heart where Hypnos had once been. She wept at the sight of her beautiful new son with his fair hair, blue eyes, and downy wings. She sent for Hypnos the day after her son's birth. Thalia and Pandaisia led Hypnos into her bedroom. Pandaisia wore a scowl, but Thalia at least gave him a faint smile and a pat on the arm. As he walked toward Pasithea, who perched on her sofa, Thalia led a rather reluctant Pandaisia out of the room and closed the door.<p>

Hypnos knelt before Pasithea and looked up at her with dull eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

Pasithea looked away from his dejected gaze. "I'm fine, Hypnos." She forced herself to smile. "Want to meet your son?"

Hypnos nodded and stood up, following Pasithea to the cradle by her bedside. Pasithea reached in and pulled out a bundle of blankets, bouncing and cooing when the child inside began to fuss. Hypnos leaned over to look at his son. He smiled softly in spite of himself. "He has wings," he said gently. "What's his name, Pasithea?"

Pasithea smiled up at Hypnos. "Why don't you tell me? I called for you so you could meet our son, but I also wanted you to have a say in choosing his name. Besides, I've been trying to think of a name, but none have come to me."

"Hmmm," Hypnos narrowed his eyes in concentration. "The name of a new god must always be chosen with care," he mused. He gently placed his hand on the baby's head and looked into the infant's bright blue eyes. "I got it!" he said a few moments later with a grin, albeit a mere shadow of what his grin used to be. "Morpheus. We'll name him Morpheus."

Pasithea smiled. "That fits. I wonder what sort of god he'll grow up to be."

Hypnos stroked his son's soft head with his index finger, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Hypnos," Pasithea said gently, "He's your son, too. You can come and see him anytime you like."

Hypnos smiled sadly and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Thank you, Pasithea. Thank you for my son."

* * *

><p>Pasithea never got her secret wish that her son would not remind her of Hypnos. Morpheus possessed fair hair and his mother's eyes, but his black kaleidoscope wings stood out like a sore thumb on Olympus, serving as a permanent memento of both his father and his Underworld heritage. Even more reminiscent of his father were his powers. As the youth harvested almonds in the orchard, he saw his mother rushing towards him, a troubled expression on her face. "Morpheus, I can't get your Aunt Pandaisia to wake up."<p>

The boy smirked. "She'll wake up eventually."

Pasithea sighed heavily. "I knew you must have something to do with it," she groaned. "What was it this time?"

Morpheus went back to his work. "Just more of the same," he replied nonchalantly, "She was telling me nasty lies about father."

Pasithea moaned and massaged her temples. "Alright, maybe she deserved it, but what about your Aunt Antheia?"

Morpheus shifted uncomfortably, refusing to face his mother. "Well, she… You see…"

"Morpheus," Pasithea said in a dangerous tone.

Morpheus sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry mother, but she was going on and on about centerpieces and flowery wreaths and she just would not shut up!" he said in exasperation.

"Morpheus!" Pasithea scolded. "You can't just put your aunts to sleep every time they annoy you! How many times have we been over this?!"

Morpheus winced and turned to face his mother sheepishly. "Come on Mother, I only put her to sleep for a few hours."

Pasithea rolled her eyes. "I'd say it was fine, only the last time you said that, your poor aunt was asleep for three days."

Morpheus flinched. "I didn't mean for it to last that long. I just haven't gotten the hang of it yet! But don't worry, I sent her a nice vision to entertain her while she's asleep."

Pasithea couldn't help but smirk. "Did you send Pandaisia a vision?"

Morpheus grinned. "Nothing fancy. Just a dream about Aphrodite's birthday banquet table being overturned by a hellhound."

Pasithea couldn't stifle her chuckles.

* * *

><p>"Morpheus, I've been thinking," Pasithea began nervously. Her son looked up at her with rather bleary eyes. She assumed that he had just woken up from a nap. Morpheus napping was a common occurrence, though not nearly as frequent as his father's napping. "You enjoy visiting your father, don't you." It came out as a statement rather than a question.<p>

Morpheus smiled. "Yes. He sleeps a lot, but when he's awake, he helps me develop my powers and shows me the more scenic parts of the Underworld." His eyes saddened. "He's always happy to see me. He seems a bit lonely."

Pasithea shifted uncomfortably. "Do," she began, "Do you like it in the Underworld?"

Morpheus grinned. "Not all of it. But parts of it are peaceful and beautiful. And the deities aren't all bad. There's this witch named Hecate we go visit sometimes."

Pasithea nodded thoughtfully. "Morpheus, it would break my heart to see you leave, but, you're almost an adult god, and I'm afraid you're behind on your training. No one here really knows anything about your brand of powers. I could never send you away to live in the Underworld unless you wanted to go, but…"

"Mother," Morpheus interrupted with a smile. "I've actually been thinking the same thing. And don't worry about me living in the Underworld. I know it sounds odd to you, but, I actually feel like I belong there more than here."

Pasithea smiled sadly. "Your father loves you very much. He'll be thrilled to hear you want to go live with him." Her tone turned serious. "Just promise me, Morpheus. Promise me you'll write and visit me as often as you can."

Morpheus smiled back. "I promise. But Mother, are you sure you don't want to come with me? You'd be surprised how beautiful the Underworld can be. There's this cavern completely covered in crystal."

Pasithea looked at her son sadly. "Maybe someday, Morpheus."

* * *

><p>Hypnos was drowsing on his favorite sofa when a knock came to the door. He moaned in irritation, cramming a pillow over his head as he attempted to go back to sleep. The knocking turned into pounding. "All right, all right! I'm coming!" he called out in annoyance. He dragged himself over to his door, pleasantly surprised to see his son standing on the other side. "Morph?"<p>

"Hello, father!" said Morpheus cheerfully, "Didn't you get my message?"

Hypnos scratched his head. "Iris came over, but I was half asleep. I think she said something about the Sun wanting to give a stew? Whatever that meant."

"No, no," said Morpheus. "She was trying to tell you that your son wants to come live with you."

Hypnos's eyes lit up in comprehension. "Oh. Wait. You mean…?"

Morpheus chuckled. "I'm almost of age, father; and I need someone to help me develop my skills. Besides, I feel at home here."

Hypnos grinned widely. "Of course you can stay with me, Morph." His face fell slightly and he hesitated. "Can your mother spare you?"

Morpheus smiled. "She was sad to see me go, but I think she understands. She told me to come visit her often. I'll miss her, but I am looking forward to an aunt-free life."

Hypnos laughed. "Well, welcome home Morph. We'll start your training right after my nap."

Morpheus sighed in exasperation. "Do you have to call me 'Morph,' Father?"

"You could always go back to live with your aunts, Morph."

"You're a cruel, cruel man sometimes, Father."

Hypnos smiled before yawning widely. "Your uncle Thanatos will be happy to see you. But first things first. First, nap. Then, training. Then, bed. Then, Uncle Thanatos.

Morpheus found himself yawning right along with his father. "Sounds good, Father."

* * *

><p>~End of Flashbacks~<p>

* * *

><p>Pasithea sat down next to Hypnos under the almond tree. She let out a contented breath and smiled. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the sleepy daemon beside her. He let out a soft snore as he slept with his back slouched against the tree and his hands folded across his stomach. Pasithea prodded his upper right arm gently. "Hypnos," she said gently, "time to wake up." He merely snorted in response. She sighed. "Hypnos!" she shouted, "Time to wake up!" Hypnos stirred and mumbled before curling himself up at the base of the tree trunk and resuming his nap. Pasithea grinned wickedly. "You asked for this, Hypnos," she said softly. She stuck her finger in her mouth and coated it liberally with saliva before sticking it in his ear. Hypnos shot up into a sitting position with a rather undignified scream.<p>

"What in the name of all that is holy…?!" He stopped abruptly as he realized where he was and who he sat next to, his face turning a brilliant shade of red and his eyes darting away in nervousness. He reached up and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Uh, Pasithea," he said, still not looking at her, "I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep here. I was just on my way to see Queen Hera and I guess I was feeling nostalgic. Silly, I know." His posture suddenly straitened and his eyebrows furrowed as he turned and fixed Pasithea with an indignant expression. "What gave you the right to wake me up in such a disgusting manner, and who told you?"

Pasithea smiled sheepishly through her own blush. "Morpheus told me how he and your brother enjoy waking you up when he was last here."

"Figures," Hypnos glowered. "I'll have a little talk with Morpheus when I get home."

"While you're at it, can you ask him why it has been six months since he last visited? I can't believe he's neglected me so!"

Hypnos smirked. "Six months really isn't that long, Pasithea. At least not for immortals."

Pasithea let out a sigh. "It is for a mother, even an immortal one."

Hypnos smiled, but his expression quickly turned into one of worry. "I missed my appointment, didn't I," he said flatly.

Pasithea smiled. "Yes you did, but Hera said she'll forgive you if and only if you go see her tomorrow." She smirked. "What ever happened to being in more than one place at once and being able to rouse part of your essence to make appointments?"

Hypnos's blush returned. "Even I goof up sometimes, alright? All of my essences must have been busy or asleep."

Pasithea chuckled a little before sobering. "It's so good to see you, Hypnos; though I know you were probably hoping not to see me. I was so awful to you."

A red-faced Hypnos waved his hands back and forth. "No, no! It's wonderful to see you! And you were never horrible to me. I was selfish, asking you to leave your home for a place you don't belong!"

Pasithea smiled sadly as she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Hmm. Perhaps a person belongs anywhere their love is. I was too frightened and foolish to realize this when I was younger, and now it's too late."

Hypnos smiled warmly. "What if it's not too late?"

Pasithea looked up in surprise, hope igniting in her eyes.

"Pasithea," Hypnos continued, "I would never keep you in the Underworld against your will. You could visit Mt. Olympus any time you wanted. But you could have a second home with me and Morpheus in the Land of Dreams," he said eagerly.

Pasithea smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. "I would like that Hypnos. I would like that very much." Her face suddenly fell. "But what about Aphrodite? She won't be willing to let me leave my post."

Hypnos's face fell slightly before regaining its confidence. "What if we got someone on our side? Someone who could overrule Aphrodite?"

Pasithea's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Who?"

Hypnos patted her arm. "Leave that to me, my love. I have an idea."


	18. Olympian Wedding

_A/N: *sigh* I hope this chapter isn't too terrible… Feedback is very much appreciated!_

Hades sat at his desk in his study, a scowl etched on his face. He ran his hands through his hair in irritation as he finished one scroll of paperwork and started another. The tapping of approaching footsteps broke his concentration and he looked up at the doorway just as his wife entered the room. Her bright smile faltered when she saw her husband's angry glare. "Sorry," she said softly, "I should have knocked."

"Yes, you should have!" Hades snapped in frustration.

Persephone huffed and wore a scowl of her own. "There's no need to be so discourteous to your own wife," she said sternly.

Hades sighed as his expression melted from one of rage to one of longsuffering exhaustion. "Forgive me, Persephone. I'm at my wits end thanks to this terrible war."

"War?" asked Persephone, "You mean the conflict between the Greeks and Trojans?"

"Yes," moaned Hades as he buried his face in his hands. "I used to welcome war, but now I see it's nothing more than the quickest road to overpopulation. You can't imagine the headaches this has caused me. So many new arrivals!" Hades looked up at her as he held up three fingers. "We're going to have to open up three new subdivisions in the Asphodel Fields. There are records to be filled out, judgments to be carried out, overtime for the staff. Not to mention the extra wages they'll demand." He moaned as Persephone walked over to him and began rubbing his back sympathetically. His scowl returned. "Poseidon owes me. All his blasted earthquakes caused extensive damage to many of our cavern walls and ceilings. I'll dispatch a message demanding payment."

Persephone smiled. "I think you could use a break, and I have just the thing to cheer you up."

"And what would that be?" mumbled Hades.

Persephone beamed. "We've been invited to a wedding on Mt. Olympus!" she said cheerily.

Hades' scowl deepened. "That's supposed to cheer me up?" He grumbled as he turned to look at her. "I hate weddings, Persephone."

Persephone frowned. "But it's Hypnos's wedding! He's my friend and he lives here in the Underworld. As its king and queen, don't you think we're obligated to attend? And honestly, how could anyone hate weddings?"

Hades rolled his eyes and gazed at his wife sardonically. "I'm the king of the Underworld, Persephone. Weddings just aren't my thing. Neither are birthday parties, festivals, patriotic holidays, or celebrations of any kind."

Persephone pouted and crossed her arms. "You had no problem dragging _me_ to a certain wedding," she muttered.

Hades harrumphed and stood up, crossing his own arms. "Yes, but that was _my_ wedding and it was here in the Underworld. It's the Olympian weddings I can't stand! Why would Hypnos choose to be married there?"

Persephone shrugged. "Perhaps it was his bride's choice, or Hera's."

Hades stroked his beard. "It is odd, thinking of Hypnos getting married. Who's the girl?"

"One of the Charities, a goddess named Pasithea," she answered. "Hecate told me that he has loved her for a long time. They started a relationship several centuries ago, and that's when they had Morpheus. They separated for a while, but now they're a couple again, and they want to get married. Pasithea and her sisters work for Aphrodite, and she was afraid they would protest, but Hypnos was able to get Hera on their side. She holds a great deal of influence in the matter, as Queen of Heaven and goddess of marriage."

"How did Hypnos manage to gain Hera's favor?" asked Hades.

Persephone smiled. "Apparently, Hypnos did a favor for Hera that actually turned out well for him. Hera supported the Greeks in the war while Zeus supported the Trojans. Hera asked Hypnos to put Zeus to sleep, thus distracting him while Poseidon aided the Greeks. Hypnos told her he'd help if she promised Pasithea to him as his bride and she agreed."

"I see. Hera probably demanded jurisdiction over the wedding. She'll want to make sure the wedding is her version of perfect. All the more reason for me to stay away. You go ahead, Persephone. You can represent us both at the wedding."

Persephone ducked her head slightly and began to fidget nervously. "Ah, but you see, Hades, it's wintertime. I can't leave you."

Hades sat back down and continued his work, though he had the grace to look at her with some sympathy. "I'm sorry, Persephone. I guess it can't be helped."

"Ah, but couldn't I go if you came with me?" she asked hopefully, "I wouldn't be breaking the contract if I was still spending time with you, right? And if it was only for a day?"

Hades groaned. How he hated loopholes. "You really want to go, don't you?" Persephone nodded eagerly. Hades sighed in defeat. "Alright," he said gloomily.

Persephone jumped up and clapped her hands in delight. "Thank you Hades! I'd better go pick out what I want to wear." She turned back to look at Hades cheekily before crossing the threshold. "I guess it's time I dragged _you_ to a wedding for a change, my lord," she sneered.

Hades scowled and turned back to his paperwork as Persephone walked away, her laughter ringing through the halls.

* * *

><p>Hades gripped the reins tightly as the chariot wheeled upwards through a subterranean road. The skeletal horses clicked and their hooves clomped as they cantered together. Thanatos smiled. "This will be a new experience for me. I've never been to Olympus before."<p>

"Haven't you?" asked Persephone with some surprise.

"No, my lady," he answered. "I'm not usually welcome there, Olympus being a deathless place and all. Thank you, my lord Hades, for allowing me to ride with you." Hades grumbled in reply and Persephone stifled a giggle.

The chariot continued rattling in a circuitous route until they reached the light of day. Persephone savored a deep breath of fresh winter air. The chariot continued its trek through cold empty fields towards a familiar towering mountain. Once the travelers reached the base of Mt. Olympus, the horses led the chariot up the mountain as if it were no obstacle at all. The supernatural horses moved quickly, and soon the party faced Heaven's gates of gold and pearl. The gates remained closed as Hades' chariot approached and the horses were forced to stop to avoid crashing into them. Hades fixed the gates with an enraged glare, and the gates began to slowly open, albeit reluctantly. "Where is this wedding taking place, anyway, Persephone?" he grumbled through gritted teeth.

"In the park at the center of the city," answered Persephone cheerfully.

Hades muttered something under his breath and urged the horses forward.

Despite the bleak winter world in the land of mortals below, the Olympian park looked stunning. A light snow fell, sprinkling the gardens with pure crystals. Lilies and roses bloomed unaffected by the snow. The snowflakes added sparkle to the flowers without covering them completely, and Persephone noted with delight that the air remained warm around them. Pavilions both large and small dotted the large park, some sheltering tables and chairs while one sheltered a large banquet table. Another awning accommodated the muses as they played lovely, gentle music. Immortals of every age and occupation wandered the area or stood in groups as they chatted happily. Hades stopped the chariot outside the park's fence. The chariot and its horses made a striking contrast to the other chariots and carriages. Many of the pegasi and horses shied away in fright from Hades' ghoulish animals. Thanatos stepped off of the chariot while Hades helped Persephone down. The trio made their way towards the Park's entryway.

Before the opened park gates stood the messenger Iris, her dark hair woven into a braid down her back. Her eyes widened at the three immortals before her and she ducked her head in fear. Hades rolled his eyes. "I trust we are on the guest list," he said in a low, authoritative voice. Iris opened her mouth to speak when a tall goddess in golden robes approached. Persephone inadvertently shrank back when she realized the goddess was Hera. Hera's chocolate brown hair sat piled on top of her head and her eyes shone with power. She glared at the three Underworld deities before her.

"Hades, Persephone, and Thanatos." Her eyes narrowed. "You…received your invitations?"

Hades folded his arms across his chest. "As a matter of fact, we did. Disappointed, Hera?"

Hera shot Iris an angry look before fixing her glare on Thanatos. "Never before has Death visited Olympus," she said in a low, severe tone.

"Never before has Death's brother been married on Mount Olympus," countered Hades. He massaged his forehead. "I'm not exactly thrilled to be here, Sister, but duty demands it. As Lord and Queen of the Underworld, it's only proper we attend the wedding of one of our own."

Hera lifted a warning finger and opened her mouth to reply when her eyes suddenly widened. Persephone felt a chill down her back and failed to suppress a small shudder. Behind her a soft, deep feminine voice said, "Is there a problem, Hera?"

Persephone and Hades spun around and saw a large cloud of nearly tangible darkness. Many pairs of eyes shone through the inky expanse. The largest and most prominent ones shone bright silver. Persephone squinted and managed to make out the shape of a tall female figure. The figure stepped forward and Persephone gasped at the sight of the goddess. She was immediately reminded of Thanatos when she viewed the beautiful winged deity. Everything about her was dark and beautiful. Her dress was a midnight blue and speckled with bright, glittering stars. But what hit Persephone the hardest was the goddess' aura. She radiated power. A very old, mysterious power.

Hera collected herself and managed a fake smile. "Lady Nyx. It is an honor to see you," she said with forced civility.

Nyx nodded without smiling. "Hera." Her eyes turned to Hades and Persephone. "I see the Lord of the Underworld is here. And you must be his new bride."

Persephone swallowed and mercifully found her voice. She bowed. "I'm honored, Lady Nyx," she managed nervously.

Nyx regarded the young queen. "I'm glad to meet you. If you ever wish to visit, you are welcome in my mansion in Tartarus."

Persephone's eyes widened and she frantically thought of how she should reply. Thankfully, Hades spared her the trouble. "We are both honored by your invitation," he said, bowing. "If you'll excuse us." He put his arm around his wife and quickly shepherded her away from Nyx and into the park. When they were out of earshot, he spun around to face her, gripping her shoulders. "Persephone," he said forcefully, "Under no circumstances are you ever allowed to enter Tartarus. I expressly forbid it."

Persephone's eyes were wide as she processed her husband's demand. Then they rolled. "Oh Hades!" She said sarcastically, "How can you say such a thing? You know how much I've always longed to go to Tartarus!"

Hades scowled. "There is no need to be sarcastic, Persephone. I'm merely telling you to beware of Nyx!"

Persephone looked past her husband's vexed, albeit concerned gaze and saw a black-winged daemon hurrying towards them with a cheerful smile. "Lord Hades and Queen Persephone! It is truly an honor to see you here. I was afraid you wouldn't make it."

Hades' scowl deepened. "There were many others hoping for our absence, myself included, but Persephone forced me to come."

Hypnos bowed. "Well, I for one am happy to see you." His smile turned slightly nervous when he saw Nyx's dark cloud approaching. "Mother!" he said apprehensively, "You came." His nervous smile faltered altogether when he looked past Nyx and into her cloud. "And, you brought the whole family," he said slowly, as though he worried for his mother's sanity.

"Naturally," she answered, "It is your wedding day. And I hope you're grateful. This place is most unsettling." Nyx leaned her face towards Hypnos, who planted a brief kiss on her cheek.

"Too bright!" hissed a voice within the cloud. "Make it darker, Mother. Please!"

Persephone thought such darkness could never increase, but to her surprise, the cloud became darker still.

Nyx looked over her shoulder. "Is that better, Eris?"

"Even darker, Mother! Please?"

"You'll just have to make do," Nyx mumbled, "I can only do so much here." She sighed heavily. "Where is your father, Hypnos?" she asked no one in particular, "I told him to be here."

Hypnos looked like he was on the verge of panic. "Father? You invited Father, too?!"

Nyx raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Er, no," Hypnos muttered.

"It's not our fault we're here!" cried out a masculine voice in the darkness. "Mother made us come!" A young man stuck his head out of Nyx's cloak of darkness. He didn't look altogether unpleasant, though his face seemed forever locked in a condescending smirk. "Hello, Hypnos!" he greeted.

"Ah! Momus." Hypnos replied, looking astonished, "Are you sure you should be here? Seeing as you are banished and all…"

"Well yes, I'd appreciate it if you don't mention my presence to anyone. That would be problematic. Why do you think I'm hiding in Mother's cloak?"

"Too bright!" chattered another voice in the shadows, "And the cheerfulness is suffocating me!"

Nyx gave a longsuffering sigh. "Oh, do stop being so dramatic, Akhlys. We won't be here that long. And Momus, you'd better get back in there. I won't be held responsible if your stupidity gets you into trouble. Where did your brother go, Hypnos?"

"Which one?" Hypnos asked flatly. Suddenly, Thanatos emerged from behind the shadows. Hypnos's face brightened. "Thanatos!" he called. "Good to see you." Many people would be terrified to face Death, but after seeing only a glimpse of Hypnos' other siblings, Persephone felt positively cheerful at the sight of Thanatos.

Death smiled. "Hypnos. Where is Morpheus?"

"Oh, he's around here somewhere. Probably hiding from his aunts." Hypnos put an arm around his twin and the pair walked away.

"Well, I see those two are still getting along," rumbled a deep voice, making Persephone jump.

Nyx turned to see a shadowy, black figure of a man. "Erebus! You're late!" She accused.

"I am not!" Erebus growled, "The ceremony hasn't even started yet." He turned his smoky head towards Hades and Persephone. He seemed to be completely made of darkness. Persephone couldn't even make out his face. "Lord Hades," he nodded. "Is this your wife?" he asked, gesturing towards Persephone.

"Ah, yes," Hades answered. "This is my wife Persephone. Persephone, allow me to introduce Erebus, god of darkness and husband of Nyx."

"And the father of most of her ah, more _handsome _children," Erebus added. Persephone blinked. Erebus wasn't exactly what she would call handsome.

Nyx scowled. "And exactly what is that supposed to mean?" She smiled proudly at her brood. My children are both terrifying and powerful. The ones I made myself are especially so. Erebus grunted and Persephone thought she detected a touch of jealousy in his voice. Nyx continued, "It's thanks to you I gave birth to such disappointments as Hemera and Aether."

Erebus growled. "It's not _my _fault they turned out the way they did! I was just as shocked and ashamed as you were!"

"Stop yelling at me, Erebus! Let's go find a place to sit," said Nyx, and the dark family continued to bicker as they moved away, leaving Hades and Persephone by themselves.

"Nyx created some of her children by herself?" Persephone questioned.

"Ah, yes," Hades answered. "She has that power. Some other deities do as well, but such children don't usually turn out as well as children created the normal way. I don't think Nyx cares though. As long as her children have power, she feels they are a credit to her no matter how hideous they look." He smiled humorlessly. "In fact, I think she takes a certain pride in how hideous they look."

Persephone shuddered as she looked at Nyx's dark cloud, noticing how all the guests gave the brood a wide berth.

"Persephone?" called out an anxious voice. Persephone turned away from the terrifying sight of Nyx to see her mother running towards her with arms outstretched. "Persephone!" She called.

"Mother!" Persephone cried out happily and the two goddesses embraced.

"Oh, Persephone!" Demeter seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Are you alright, Love? Did they hurt you? Did they torture you?! Are you utterly traumatized?! Don't worry! Mother will keep you safe from the horrors of the Underworld!"

Persephone sighed. "Mother, there is no need to be so theatrical. I just saw you three months ago! And I've been Queen of the Underworld for centuries, now. Nothing can traumatize me!"

Demeter seemed to ignore Persephone as she looked her daughter over. "You're so thin!" she fussed, "And your skin is so dry and pale! What sort of a place is that dratted husband of yours keeping you in? Your needs are clearly being neglected! This is nothing short of abuse!"

Hades coughed loudly next to the goddesses. "I'm right here, Demeter. You know I can hear you, right?" He said sourly.

"Do you hear someone talking, Persephone?" Demeter said loftily, refusing to look at her brother.

"Mother, please-" Persephone began.

"Come now, dear," Demeter continued without missing a beat, "I think there are some empty spots next to Hestia over there." She grabbed Persephone by the arm and began to pull her away.

"Now, really! Demeter!" Hades protested as he grabbed Persephone by her other arm. "Persephone is here by my special permission! Attending this wedding falls under her list of duties as Underworld queen. I will remind you that it is still wintertime and she is required to stay with me at all times!"

"Is that you, Hades?" Demeter said coldly. "Let go of my daughter, you creep! You're not welcome on Mount Olympus!"

"Mother, _please_-" Persephone tried again.

"I have an invitation to be here! And what's more, Persephone is only here because _I _allowed it you stupid, insufferable, useless simpleton!"

"Hades!" Persephone gasped, "Don't speak to my mother that way!"

"You see!" Demeter plowed on, "She doesn't want you here either, you oily, scheming, sickening demon of Hell!

"I didn't say that mother!" Persephone yelped, "And I'm not some rope for you two to play tug-of-war with!"

"Be quiet, Persephone!" commanded Demeter as she continued to pull. "I'm only doing what's best for you."

"Ha!" laughed Hades as he pulled the other direction. "You call keeping her cooped up in Enna what's best for her?"

"You call trapping her in the Underworld what's best for her?!" yelled Demeter.

"Shut up, Demeter! You're causing a scene!"

"_I'm_ causing a scene! You…"

"Excuse me," a calm voice interrupted. "Would the three of you like to sit with me? There's plenty of room." The trio looked up to see Hestia, who regarded them with a concerned smile.

"Me? Sit with _him_?" Demeter spat. "No thank you!"

"Well, of course you don't have to, Demeter," Hestia said. "I only thought you'd like to sit by Persephone, and since she must stay with Hades…"

"All right, All right!" Demeter grumbled, "This way, Persephone." The threesome made their way awkwardly to Hestia's table, Hades and Demeter both refusing to let the younger goddess out of their grasps. As the four deities sat down, Hestia turned to Persephone and smiled. "It's so wonderful to see you, dear! I wasn't expecting to see you for a few more months!"

Persephone smiled, grateful to Hestia in more ways than one. "Thank you, Aunt Hestia. I am happy to see you, too."

"Hestia!" boomed a voice overhead, "Mind if Amphitrite and I sit with you? Hades?! Is that you?" The group looked up to see Poseidon and his wife. The sea god gazed at his elder brother in surprise. "I never expected to see you here! Then again, I suppose nothing should surprise me after seeing Nyx and her crew. What brings you here?"

Hades sighed grumpily and rested his head in his free hand. "We were invited to the wedding and I supposed it only proper to attend and represent the Underworld. Besides," he grumbled, "Persephone had her heart set on going and she needed me to take her."

Poseidon's eyes widened as his surprise increased. "That was kind of you, Hades," he stated in mild shock.

Hades rolled his eyes. "It's been known to happen, Poseidon."

"Yes, but how often?" Poseidon chuckled. "At any rate, it's good to see you again, Persephone." Poseidon smiled kindly at the young goddess, who was still held captive by her mother and husband. She managed to smile back, wondering irritably if the raging custody battle would ever end.

* * *

><p>After the ceremony, the immortal guests feasted and mingled. Persephone managed to pry herself away from Hades and Demeter long enough to greet Hecate and Morpheus.<p>

"Hello, Persephone!" Hecate greeted with a smile, "Having a bit of trouble with your two trusty guardians?"

"Ugh, don't get me started," Persephone replied darkly, but the magic goddess only laughed, adding to Persephone's irritation. She managed to set that emotion aside and smiled at Morpheus. "Did you enjoy the ceremony?"

"Yes, but I must confess it's a little strange to witness my own parents' wedding," he replied with a smile. "Mother will be spending a lot of time in the Underworld, now. It will be nice to have her around. Now I won't feel so stretched between them."

"Trust me. I know how you feel. But at least your parents get along. Hades and Mother can't stand each other."

Morpheus nodded sympathetically, but his attention was taken by the sight of his parents approaching. He waved them over. "Mother! Father! Over here!" he cried out.

The newlywed couple made their way through the sea of well-wishers to join their son. Pasithea glowed with happiness. She looked stunning in her wedding attire, her hair woven with delicate flowers. "Mother, this is Queen Persephone," said Morpheus.

Pasithea turned to regard the Underworld's queen, her expression nervous and apprehensive. Persephone did her best to smile encouragingly. "Congratulations, Pasithea! It's so good to meet you!" Persephone said warmly. Pasithea managed a shy smile and curtsied gracefully. "It is an honor to meet you, my lady."

Persephone smiled. She hoped that she and Pasithea could be friends. It would be nice having an Olympian goddess close by. Persephone turned to the bridegroom to offer her congratulations, only to find him asleep on his feet. Pasithea looked over at her new husband and laughed. "Oh dear," she said, "I guess that's our cue to leave. Honestly, I'm very impressed he managed to stay awake for so long! Morpheus, dear, do you mind giving us a ride home?"

Morpheus grinned and began guiding his sleeping father away. "Of course not, mother," he replied.

Persephone smiled as she watched the small family leave and listened absently as she overheard a conversation between Aphrodite and Athena. "Oh, it was a lovely wedding!" Aphrodite cried out rapturously.

"But Aphrodite," the wisdom goddess answered, "I thought you opposed the relationship."

"Well of course I had to oppose it!" Aphrodite countered as though Athena were missing a blatantly obvious point. "If I had made their relationship easy, it wouldn't have been nearly as meaningful and romantic." The love goddess nodded with self-satisfaction. "Of course I knew those two would make it. They're perfect for each other. It was up to me to make things more tragic and interesting."

Persephone fought the urge to moan as she heard Aphrodite revel in her meddling role. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder and looked up to see her husband's tired face. "Good Mother Rhea, it's finally over!" he said with a longsuffering sigh.

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Stop acting like a martyr, Hades. It wasn't that bad."

"Easy for you to say," he answered, massaging his temples. "I'm tired Persephone. Let's go home so I can go to bed."

Persephone poked at him playfully. "Oh, Hades. You're no fun at all."

He smirked. "You should know that by now. Come, my dear. And please. Promise me you'll never force me to attend a wedding again."


	19. Adonis (Part 1)

_A/N: Has it _really _been four months?! *sigh* I'm sorry, everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter. _

Persephone blinked in surprise as Aphrodite gently placed the soft bundle of blankets into her arms. "Isn't he _gorgeous?!"_ Aphrodite cooed affectionately.

"He _is _beautiful," Persephone agreed. And she meant it. The sleeping child was lovelier than any other mortal child she had ever seen, and even lovelier than some of the immortal children she had seen. But that didn't explain _why _he was here. "The child is adorable, Aphrodite, but why do you have him? And why did you bring him here?"

Aphrodite smiled. "It's simple really, my dear." Her eyes gleamed with intense love, and it scared Persephone. It was the same look Aphrodite always had when she was in love. Deep, unfathomable, and possessive. "When I saw this child, Adonis," the love goddess continued, "I knew he had to be mine. I saw what he will become, and the unbreakable bond we would share. But for now, he is just a child, and needs looking after. And, to be frank, I'd rather keep him a secret for the time being. I found him first, after all, and I don't want anyone else taking him from me. And what better place to hide something than the Underworld? A black miserable place where no one in his right mind would ever be fool enough to go willingly."

Persephone fought the urge to roll her eyes at Aphrodite's cheerful insensitivity. "If you love this boy so much, why doom him to a nightmarish realm with only a fool like me to keep him company?" Persephone asked, letting a trickle of bitterness creep into her voice.

Aphrodite laughed airily, "Oh, please don't take it the wrong way, darling. I'm doing you a favor, really. You are trapped down here and it's not like you have anything better to do. You can care for him and keep him away from anyone or anything that might do him harm, and he, in turn, will give you respite from your dreary life."

"'_Dreary_' though my life may be, it's not like I have nothing better to do," Persephone countered icily. "With all due respect, Aphrodite, I am a queen, and queens don't have the luxury of reclining all day or finding mortal men and boys to entertain them, unlike some goddesses I know."

Aphrodite's smile faded and she narrowed her eyes. "There's no need to be snippy, _Queen _Persephone," the love goddess said, emphasizing Persephone's title with distain. "I merely need a small favor. The Underworld is the ideal place to hide him from prying eyes, and I know you would keep him safe. You have a heart, unlike that husband of yours. You have no children of your own to keep you busy, and it's not like he'll be here for very long. Mortals grow up very quickly. I'll be back for him in about twenty years. You can manage a mortal baby for that long, can't you?"

Persephone sighed and absently began to bounce the baby. "Aphrodite, I'm only here for half the year. Where will he go the other six months when I'm with Mother?"

"Well, that's simple!" Aphrodite answered. "Just have your mother come visit you down here."

Persephone shook her head exasperatedly, "No, no. Mother would never agree to that."

"Well, I suppose you could just take him with you when you go see your mother, so long as you keep him hidden, and keep a close watch on him."

"But I don't know how to take care of a baby! Let alone a mortal one."

"Oh, it's simple!" cried Aphrodite cheerily. "All females have a mothering instinct. I'm sure you'll know what to do. Just remember, he's mortal, so be sure to treat him delicately. Make sure you never show him your true form, and make sure he never sees Hades or anyone else in their immortal forms. Be sure to play with him and remember that he needs plenty of sleep each night and a nap every afternoon." Aphrodite's tone suddenly turned serious. "Do not, under any circumstances, feed him Underworld food. I don't want my poor darling stuck here forever. And nectar and ambrosia are out, too. His system couldn't handle it."

Persephone sighed in frustration. "Well, what can I feed him, then?"

Aphrodite smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that, Persephone. I'll be sure to send him all the proper food he needs. I've left some toys for him. Good luck, dear. I'm counting on you to take good care of him!" Before Persephone could offer a word of protest in reply, the love goddess had disappeared in a shower of rose petals.

Persephone sighed in defeat, looking down at the baby. She found herself smiling softly in spite of herself. The baby opened his eyes and gazed at her curiously. "You are adorable, and it's a good thing," Persephone said softly. Despite her irritation towards Aphrodite, she admitted to herself that perhaps the love goddess had a point. Persephone had no children of her own, and perhaps having a baby around wouldn't be so bad. She looked away from the mortal child and sighed. How was she going to explain this to Hades?

She sat down on her couch and gently rocked the baby, lulling him to sleep with a gentle song from her childhood she thought she had forgotten. She gently laid him on the couch, carefully placing pillows around him to prevent him from falling. She carefully closed the door to her sitting room and summoned her handmaidens. "Aphrodite brought a mortal child with her, and he'll be staying for a while," she quietly informed them, "He's asleep in my sitting room. Look after him while I'm at dinner. If he wakes up, try to keep him happy with the toys Aphrodite brought him, and do not tell anyone about this. I don't want Hades hearing about it before I have a chance to tell him." The handmaidens gasped and chattered in surprise while Persephone instructed them, but they nodded dutifully, and entered Persephone's sitting room as the queen walked down the hall towards the dining room.

* * *

><p>Persephone picked at her meal distractedly, regularly throwing nervous glances towards the door. Hades grumbled irritably, "What in the Underworld is the matter with you, Persephone? What are you hiding from me?"<p>

Persephone jumped slightly and gave her husband a guilty sideways glance. "Nothing's wrong, my lord," she said quickly, stuffing a bite of stew in her mouth.

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Really," he said flatly. "If that be the case, why the preoccupation with the door?" he asked, jabbing his knife in the direction of the dining room entryway.

"Oh, well. I'm expecting a package and I was wondering when it would arrive," she answered quickly. Hades opened his mouth to reply when a faint cry interrupted them. Persephone froze as her eyes widened.

"Did you hear that?" Hades asked with mild confusion.

"No," she squeaked.

"Hmm. I could have sworn I heard a child's cry…"

"Oh, well," Persephone said hastily, "You know the spirits are always crying about one thing or another."

"I suppose," he answered slowly. He gave her a skeptical glance before turning back to his meal. "It's true; I have been getting complaints about overcrowding lately. Even more so than usual." He gave a longsuffering sigh and stabbed his ambrosia with his knife. "If they start picketing again, so help me, I'll send them all to the Fields of Punishment."

Persephone nodded absently and stole another glance at the door.

Hades forcefully set his knife down, causing Persephone to jump slightly. "Confound it, Persephone, What is going on? What could be so important and so distracting that you find it necessary to eat stew with a knife?" Persephone blushed and glanced at the knife in her hand. She quickly set it down in favor of her spoon. Hades continued, "Just what is in this package of yours?" He paused and his eyes widened as comprehension suddenly dawned. "Did it cost a lot of gold?" His tone was quiet and serious, but not angry. "I know I'm always upset about the budget, but don't worry yourself. Just tell me what you bought."

Persephone glanced at him with a small smile. "Oh, it's nothing like that. Um, it's a…gift, actually. I'm expecting a gift from someone."

Hades' eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're nervous about a gift. Who is it from? What god or mortal has been sending you gifts?"

"Goddess!" she squeaked hastily. "It's not from a god or anything. It's from a goddess! Aphrodite, actually. Before she went home, she promised to send me a gift." She stopped talking, registering the suspicion in her husband's voice. She turned on him with hurt and contempt. "How dare you, Hades," she chided, "You should know I would never enter a flirtation with someone else."

Hades threw up his hands in exasperation. "Well, how am I supposed to react? Here you are, acting as guilty as a swindler at the Judgment Pavilion, and you expect me to not feel the least bit suspicious when you say it's all because of a gift?"

She pointed her index finger at him and opened her mouth to reply when a soft knock sounded on the door. "Enter," Hades called out irritably, keeping his eyes locked with Persephone.

"I beg your pardon, my lord," clicked the skeletal servant, "but we've just received a large package of mortal infant's food. I told Lord Hermes there must be a mistake, but he insists that Aphrodite specifically told him to deliver the food to Queen Persephone."

"Persephone…" Hades began with a low growl.

The queen broke eye contact and sighed in defeat. "Oh, all right," she began, "I suppose it's better to tell you sooner rather than later." She paused and risked a glance at her husband, who scowled back at her. "Aphrodite found an infant she fancies, and she wants me to take care of him until he grows up."

Hades growled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Persephone, you know our policy on allowing live mortals here."

She sighed. "I know, but Aphrodite didn't really give me a chance to protest."

"You are not Aphrodite's handmaid. You are the queen of the Underworld. She has no right to force you into anything. Can't you just call Hermes and send the child back?"

"Well," Persephone blushed and smiled softly. "I could, but, he's actually quite sweet, and well, I've never had a child of my own, and perhaps it wouldn't be so bad?" She trailed off.

Hades raised an eyebrow, "You're fond of the child already?"

"Well, fond enough that I don't mind giving it a try. I can always send him back if I change my mind."

Hades gazed at his queen with a bemused expression before sighing and looking away. "He'll only be here until he grows up?" Persephone nodded. "Fine then. Keep him if you wish. But don't expect any help from me. You chose to keep this mortal child, and he's strictly your responsibility."

She smiled at Hades and nodded. "Of course, my lord. I accept your terms." She turned to the servant who was still waiting patiently, watching their exchange with interest. "Please deliver the food to my sitting room. The child is there, and he's probably hungry."

* * *

><p>Hades moaned deeply and made sure to shoot his wife a glare before cramming his pillow over his head. Persephone looked at him apologetically before turning around and springing from their bed. Adonis's wails grew louder and louder as she hurried down the hall to her sitting room.<p>

"What's going on? Why can't you keep him quiet?" She asked her handmaidens upon entering the room.

"We're terribly sorry, milady," said Charis, the leader of Persephone's handmaidens, "We're doing everything we can. He doesn't seem to be hungry…"

Persephone looked at the sobbing child in Charis's bony arms and felt something clench in her chest. "Let me," she said kindly and she gently scooped the baby out of the ghoul's arms. She bounced him softly in her arms and hummed one of the many lullabies her mother used to sing. The handmaids looked on in surprise as the child quieted down and peered up curiously at the queen. "There, there," cooed Persephone, "Everything's alright. Nothing can hurt you so long as I'm close by." Adonis gave her a toothless smile before closing his eyes and snuggling against her. Persephone smiled down at him and settled on her couch, bouncing the baby and singing well into the night.


	20. Adonis (Part 2)

Persephone stepped down from her carriage with the help of the dead footman and turned to scoop Adonis up in her arms, lifting him high above her head as he giggled. She smiled warmly at him and turned toward Hypnos's door. "Are you ready to visit Lady Pasithea and her new baby?" She asked the child kindly.

He began to wriggle in her arms. "Down, please, Seph-nee!" He said, chubby arms waving in the air.

"All right," she said, "but be careful." She set the child down and watched him toddle around. He looked at the bright red poppies with wonder and Persephone felt a twinge of sadness, knowing that such beauty was rare in the Underworld. Due to his time spent in the Underworld, Adonis feared little. He was growing up in a world where skeletal guards and ghoulish handmaids were a common sight and had grown used to them before he could learn to be frightened of them. She always kept him close by, leaving him with her faithful handmaidens when her duties called her away. She made sure he stayed in the palace and the garden, only letting him leave when she took him on visits. The only thing that frightened him were the screams of anguish coming from the Fields of Punishment, but she always held him close to her when they passed the place, soothing him with comforting words. She took him on visits to the Elysian Fields as often as she could, and he always laughed with delight at the lovely paradise. She only wished such beauty was more common in the Underworld.

Adonis's eyelids drooped as he gazed at the poppies and various plants. He began to topple over, but Persephone quickly caught him before he hit the ground. "Poor Adonis," she cooed, "I should have known this place would get to you. It makes me sleepy, too, and I'm a goddess! I promise we won't stay long." She walked to the entrance of Hypnos's and Pasithea's cave-palace and called out softly through the curtained opening. "Pasithea? May I come in? I have Adonis with me."

Pasithea's sleepy voice floated out towards her. "Of course you can come in, my lady. Just a moment." Persephone heard soft footsteps approaching. Then, Pasithea pushed aside the dark red curtain covering the cave entrance. The Charity bowed respectfully. "I'm honored by your visit, my queen." She smiled at Persephone at then at Adonis, reaching out her hand to tickle him gently. The mortal baby jolted awake. He seemed surprised for a moment, but his little mouth soon formed a smile and he giggled at Pasithea's touch.

"Hello, Pasithea," Persephone said kindly. "I just wanted to congratulate you and Hypnos on your new baby. May I see him?"

Oddly enough, Pasithea's expression fell slightly and she looked almost nervous. "Um…yes, of course," she said quietly, "Please come in, my lady."

The cave's exterior belied the comfortable atmosphere inside Hypnos's and Pasithea's home. Plush couches, cushions, and ornate rugs covered the cave floor, complimented by gorgeous tapestries on the walls. The cave was filled with sweet scents that always made Persephone feel passive and sleepy. She looked down to see Adonis fast asleep in her arms. Pasithea noticed as well and gave a small smile. "You can lay him down on one of the cushions if you wish, my queen. I don't think he'll be waking up any time soon." Persephone laughed a little and set the boy down, covering him lovingly with a blanket.

"So, where is our newest immortal?" the queen answered expectantly.

Again, that strangely nervous looked passed over Pasithea's face. "He's been napping, but he should be awake by now," she said in a low voice. "I can go get him, if you wish."

Persephone nodded encouragingly and Pasithea left through another curtain-covered opening. _Why is she so hesitant? _Persephone wondered curiously, _I suppose it's natural for a mother to be a bit overprotective. _She suddenly smirked at the thought of her own mother. "We'll just have to warn Pasithea of the pitfalls of being _too _overprotective," she said quietly to the sleeping Adonis.

Pasithea soon reappeared, carrying a blinking child wrapped in a dark blue blanket. She nervously sat down across from her queen, balancing the child on her lap. "This is our new son, Icelus," she said almost sadly, not looking at Persephone. The queen observed the child, but soon shuddered and looked away, suddenly wishing she was anywhere but Pasithea's sitting room. She soon realized how rude she was being and forced herself to look at Pasithea, careful not to glance at Icelus again.

"He's," she began, "Well, he's very handsome." It was the truth. Icelus was a very handsome baby. He'd inherited his father's olive complexion and black curls. Two beautiful, tiny wings covered in soft black down sprouted from his back. Still, Persephone hated the thought of looking at him again. For when she had done so, his dark red eyes had pierced into her own, filling her with fear. Her mind had filled with legions of gruesome, deadly monsters, and she couldn't help but shudder.

Pasithea sighed. "It's all right, my lady," she said, "he's my boy, and I love him," Her brow lowered, "but I can't deny his eyes are frightening. In fact, just being in the same room with him is unsettling."

The goddesses were interrupted by a terrified, miserable wailing. Persephone started, and swiftly turned her head to see Adonis, tossing fitfully in his sleep. She stood and quickly scooped him up, rocking him gently in her arms. "Whatever is the matter, Adonis?" she cooed softly. She glanced at Pasithea, who was looking down at her son grimly. Persephone reluctantly lowered her gaze to Icelus and gasped. The red-eyed child-god was gazing intently at Adonis, a cruel smirk growing on his face. Persephone shuddered again and looked away.

"Icelus," Pasithea said firmly, "Leave Adonis alone! Why must you be such a difficult child?!" She sighed in exasperation and closed her eyes. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him! Morpheus and Hypnos seem to be the only ones who can bring him under any semblance of control!"

Persephone forced a smile. "Oh, it's alright Pasithea. I don't blame you. I suppose I'd better take Adonis away from here though." The two goddesses hastily said their goodbyes and Persephone left, almost as eager as Adonis to get away from the strange new daemon.

* * *

><p>The nymphs of Enna loved Adonis. He giggled as they ran through the fields of flowers, playing games of tag and blind man's bluff. Persephone sat contentedly and watched with her mother in the shade of a tree, her knees pulled up to her chin and a smile on her face. She sometimes wished that she could bring the boy to Mount Olympus, but she had decided against it. She didn't have permission to bring a mortal to the gods' city, and it would be difficult to keep Adonis a secret in the mountain's busy atmosphere. Persephone knew how angry Aphrodite would be if any Olympian besides Demeter found out about Adonis. So her mother had agreed to spend their time together at their old home in Enna. It was a perfect arrangement. Persephone enjoyed the privacy and peace of Enna, and Adonis had the freedom to run and play without fear of detection. She couldn't help but smile at the irony. She once felt trapped in Enna, but it was the one place Adonis could be free to explore without fear. The Underworld was a dangerous place for a mortal, and the boy was forced to spend most of his autumn and winter months hidden away in Hades' palace.<p>

Demeter smiled. "Well," she sighed, "I suppose young Adonis is the closest thing to a grandchild I'll ever have. Not that I'm exactly disappointed you haven't had a child of your own yet. I'm not sure I want my precious daughter carrying the offspring of that demon."

Persephone glanced at her mother with a hurt expression. "_'That demon'_ happens to be my husband, and for your information, we have tried before to have a child. It just never happened," she finished sadly.

Demeter pursed her lips, "You mean that oily dastard of a brother of mine actually made you…"

Persephone rolled her eyes. "He hasn't _made _me do anything," she protested, her face turning pink, "and for Olympus' _sake_, we're _married_, mother!"

Demeter scowled and turned back to the happy scene before them. After a brief silence, Persephone spoke again in a thoughtful tone, "Actually, I'm beginning to wonder if Hades is capable of having children, being the king of the Underworld and all." Her eyes saddened as she continued to look ahead. "Although," she began again a few moments later, in a more hopeful voice, "We haven't been married _all_ that long. Only a few centuries. Maybe we'll still have a chance.

Demeter didn't answer, but she reached for her daughter's hand and held it gently. Mother and daughter fell into a companionable silence, peacefully watching the golden-haired child dance in a circle with willowy nature spirits.

* * *

><p>As Adonis grew, he quickly learned three easy steps to surviving in the Underworld. Number One: Stay in Hades' Palace or the surrounding gardens unless accompanied by Persephone. Number Two: Never eat Underworld food. Only eat the food delivered by Hermes, and Number Three: Stay out of Hades' way. Though now an adolescent of fourteen, he found that these lessons still rang true. He sometimes wondered how he, a mortal, could even survive here. He supposed it helped having Hades' permission and Persephone's blessing. The goddess used as much of her power as she could to ensure he stayed some semblance of healthy. The special food Hermes delivered also seemed to perk him up as well. He decided there must be some magical substance in it to help keep up his strength. Staying in the palace as much as possible also helped. The atmosphere there was much less toxic than it was outside, though he sometimes became stir crazy and went for walks in the garden. The atmosphere of the garden, though gloomy, also seemed relatively non-toxic, though Persephone advised him to stay there no more than an hour at a time.<p>

The boy sighed and perched on a bench. It really was a sad excuse for a garden, but it was the best that Persephone could manage. At least the Pomegranate blossoms and crystals brought some color. The autumn and winter months inched slowly by while the spring and summer months passed much too quickly. He missed the world above and the many wonders it held. Perhaps he could ask Persephone to take him exploring in the caverns. As often as she could, the queen of the Underworld took him far from the Palace and the Asphodel Fields to the crystal caverns on the edge of the Underworld. The caverns didn't compare to the sunny world above, but he did enjoy looking at the various cave formations. Very occasionally, when Hades was in an extra good mood, Persephone managed to convince Hades to allow them to visit Elysium. But these were rare and precious occurrences indeed. Hades didn't approve of mortals in Elysium.

An unexpected sound jolted Adonis out of his gloomy musings. He blinked in surprise as he recognized the sound of laughter. The boy jumped up and made his way deeper into the garden, eager to see where the sound was coming from. He came upon one of the most unusual sights he'd ever seen. There, in front of an odd sculpture, the king of the Underworld was chuckling in satisfied amusement. The boy froze and stared. He had always been afraid of Hades, though that fear had lessened somewhat over the years. Hades had never paid much attention to him, and as long as Adonis stayed out of his way, the god gave him no trouble.

Adonis recognized the sculpture. It was the one with a handsome young man sitting on one side of a bench and looking utterly horrified. He had always found it rather creepy himself. He couldn't fathom what Hades found so amusing about it. The lord of the Underworld abruptly turned to leave, freezing as he caught a glimpse of the adolescent mortal boy. Adonis continued to stare at the god in bewilderment. Hades recovered from his surprise and scowled frighteningly down at Adonis. "And what, pray tell," he growled, "are you gawking at?"

Adonis blinked, and then quickly looked away with a cough. "Uhhh…nothing. Nothing at all, my lord."

"Good," Hades nodded. As he turned and walked away, Adonis thought he saw a slight blush of embarrassment on the god's cheeks. The boy shook his head as he watched Hades leave. Perhaps the Underworld king had finally cracked.

* * *

><p>The more Adonis grew, the more Persephone adored him. The boy had grown from a precious baby to a handsome young man, and only in the space of eighteen years. She smiled to herself as she walked into the throne room, where she and Hades held court. She sat down next to her husband and stared ahead, mind anywhere but her duties.<p>

"You're late," Hades grumbled as he glanced sideways at her.

"Am I?" she mumbled. "My apologies."

Hades' eyes narrowed. "This is the fifth time in a row," he said seriously.

"Huh," she said with disinterest, "is it now?"

Hades sighed in exasperation. "Persephone, we can't go on like this! We barely spend any time together anymore!"

Persephone finally looked at him, her expression annoyed. "What on earth are you talking about? We're spending time together right now!"

"We may be holding court right now," he countered, "and you may be here physically, but it's all I can do to make you pay attention for two minutes at a time!"

"Oh, you're imagining things!" the queen said irritably. "Everything is normal."

"Is it?" Hades asked in a quiet, dark tone. The couple sat in silence for a few moments before Hades abruptly spoke. "When is Aphrodite coming by to take the mortal away?"

Persephone jolted out of her daydream. "What?" she asked almost frantically.

"That blonde mortal. Adonis. When will Aphrodite come and take him away?"

Persephone looked at her husband fearfully. "But she can't! She can't take my Adonis away!"

"_Your_ Adonis?" Hades questioned, "As I recall, he was never meant to be _your_ Adonis. You were just keeping him safe as a favor for Aphrodite, remember?"

Persephone blinked. "I suppose it started out that way. But things are different now! I've raised him from a baby! She can't have him now!" Persephone's voice grew louder as she continued to speak. She jumped from her throne and headed for the door. "If you'll excuse me, I must go see Adonis. I want to make sure he had enough to eat this morning!"

"Persephone!" Hades growled, "Come back! I need you here!" But his queen had already vanished through the door. The lord of the dead sighed heavily and rested his head in his hands.

* * *

><p>Persephone was in Enna when she found out. She and Adonis were walking side by side through a forested area, silently enjoying each other's company when they overheard two forest nymphs deep in conversation.<p>

"Are you serious? _Hades _fathered a demigod child?!"

"I know! It's shocking. The mother is a Scythian princess, they say."

"Does Queen Persephone know?"

"I don't think so. I think everyone is afraid to tell her."

"Well, it will come as a nasty surprise, but it's not like this sort of thing doesn't happen all the time. She should be thankful that he lasted this long."

Adonis turned to see the Underworld queen frozen in shock. He gently took her hand. "My Lady?" he asked softly. Persephone spun around and raced through the forest, leaving Adonis behind. She only stopped when she came to the cottage and burst through the door.

Demeter had just returned from a meeting on Mount Olympus and was sitting on a sofa, a troubled expression on her face. When she saw her daughter's tearstained face she smiled sadly. "You know, don't you?" she stated gently. Persephone burst into sobs, throwing herself into her mother's arms. Demeter stroked her hair and spoke softly. "I just heard today when I was on Mount Olympus." She rolled her eyes to herself. "Aphrodite wouldn't shut up about it."

Persephone shuddered in her mother's arms and continued sobbing. "How could this happen?" she cried, "I thought he was different!"

Demeter scowled. "I _told _you that Hades is no good! How could he do this to my little girl?! I should march right down there and give him a piece of my mind. Don't worry dear, I'll make him _suffer_!"

Persephone sniffed and broke away from her mother, doing her best to compose herself. She finally managed a watery smile. "Thank you mother, but that won't be necessary. Could…I mean, would you mind if I went outside for a while? I just want to be alone right now."

"Of course, dear," Demeter said kindly.

Persephone left the house and walked for a while, stopping when she came to a brook. She sat down with a heavy sigh and miserably watched the water bubble merrily. The sky lit up with a red-orange glow as the sun began to set. She turned her head when she heard footsteps approaching, managing a small smile when she identified her visitor as Adonis.

He quietly sat down next to her, concern etched all over his face. He took her hand and kindly spoke. "My lady Persephone, is there anything I can do for you?"

She looked away as she felt tears forming once again in her eyes. "Thank you, Adonis. Just having you here with me is enough." She blinked and wiped her eyes. _Why can't I get ahold of myself? Hades isn't worth it! Not when he betrayed me like that!_

Adonis cleared his throat awkwardly, "I'm sure Lord Hades regrets his actions. He loves you, I know it."

Persephone lowered her brow angrily. "I don't care if he regrets it or not," she muttered. "Besides," she began with a small smile, "I don't need him. I have you after all."

Adonis smiled back nervously, and Persephone was suddenly struck with how beautiful he was. "I don't think you mean that. I'm sure, given time, you'll ahhh-!"

The young man was suddenly cut off as Persephone pressed her lips to his, wrapping her arms tightly around him. She kissed him for several long seconds, then broke away as suddenly as she had begun, turning away with a blush. "I…I'm sorry," she hastily said. She sprung off the ground and ran back towards the cottage, leaving a very bewildered Adonis behind.

* * *

><p>Persephone and Adonis didn't speak again of the incident at the brook. When Hades arrived to take them back to the Underworld, Persephone greeted him with cold silence. After her initial glare, she did her best to avoid looking at him altogether. Once the luggage was loaded, the threesome boarded the carriage, speaking little as it rattled along.<p>

As soon as they reached the palace, Persephone ordered the servants to take her things to her sitting room, and then she made her way to one of her garden's benches, resting her head in her hands. It wasn't long before she heard approaching footsteps. She didn't look up as her husband joined her on the bench, heaving a great sigh.

"I know why you are angry, Persephone," he said in low voice, "and I know that 'I'm sorry' hardly makes up for it, but I truly am. I don't know what else I can say."

A long silence followed. When Persephone finally spoke, she uttered one nearly inaudible word. "Why?"

After a moment, Hades answered. "I suppose I've grown so fond of your company, it pains me to be alone."

Persephone gave him a sharp sideways glance. "I'd say I was sorry, but it's not my fault I can't be with you all the time," she said in a hard voice.

Hades sighed. "For a while now, it seems even when you're here, you're not with me."

Persephone stood and glared. "No! No more excuses, Hades!" She snapped, tears forming in her eyes. "You betrayed me, and I never want to speak to you again!" She stormed away, leaving a silent Hades behind her.


End file.
